A True Daughter of the Black
by Ynyr
Summary: After the war is over Harry wants to protect his godson Teddy Lupin, but he isn't sure how. Mrs Tonks has a few interesting suggestions for him.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

"What do you want?" Andromeda Tonks asked Harry Potter as he stood outside the door of her London home in the middle of the night. The witch was holding her grandson Teddy Lupin with her left arm as he screamed his lungs out. In her right hand was her wand, which she was inching to use.

"I just had a terrible nightmare about..."

"That's wonderful. Thanks for waking Teddy up to share that fact with us. Now leave."

Andromeda knew the Boy-Who-Lived wasn't responsible for the death of her daughter Nymphadora two days ago. He wasn't responsible for the death of husband Ted either. He wasn't responsible for the fact that she had been tortured during the war in an attempt to learn his whereabouts. He wasn't responsible for the fact that at forty-three she now had to raise her infant grandson without any help. He wasn't even responsible for the death of that cradle-robbing werewolf who fathered little Teddy.

Still, as she glared into the boy's vivid green eyes she couldn't help but blame him for all of that.

"The dream was about your sister Bellatrix Lestrange and the Longbottoms," Harry said as she went to slam the door in his face.

That was a low blow. Andromeda was well aware of Bellatrix's many crimes, including the torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom. Including the death of Nymphadora. She let the boy inside the house without a word.

Potter sensed her hostility, so he cut right to it. "Everyone thought the war was over last time Voldemort died, but that wasn't the case. After all these years the Longbottoms still can't recognized their son Neville. I can't... I _won't_ let anything like that happen to Teddy."

If this had been about her own safety Andromeda would have gladly told the boy to go to hell. Dying didn't seem like a bad idea right about now. But this wasn't about her. "That does the great Boy-Who-Lived plan on doing about the situation?"

"Move in with me," Harry offered. "I know that Number Twelve Grimmauld Place is no place to raise a child, but the wards are very powerful. I also want to recast the Fidelius Charm on the house. We should be safe there, at least for a couple of weeks. And Kreacher seems to tolerate me now, so he should be willing to do some cooking and housework for us."

Old Number Twelve. Andromeda knew the house was hellhole of Dark Magic, but she knew also knew the boy was right. The Black family had sunk a vast fortune into fortifying that place against their many enemies. She loved her current home, but could she really continue to live here without Ted and Nymphadora? Or would all the painful memories lurking about slowly drive her insane?

"Teddy is asleep again. Watch him while I go and pack our things."

* * *

The portrait of Aunt Walburga began shrieking the moment they walked through the door. Andromeda thought back to a conversation she had with Bellatrix many years ago. Aunt Walburga had hated Sirius and thought Regulus a weakling, but to her Bellatrix was everything a proper Black witch should be. As a result the old hag shared many secrets with her favorite niece, and Bellatrix had hinted at some of these secrets to torment Cissy and her.

"My sister once told me an interesting method for controlling the family portraits." Andromeda took out her wand and sliced deeply into her palm. She then smeared the blood all over Aunt Walburga's face. "You may have burnt my name off the family tree, but my blood is still pure. So shut the hell up."

"Why didn't Sirius ever do that?" Harry asked as he stared at the portrait, which was now silent and motionless.

"Aunt Walburga, answer the boy."

"Sirius never knew that his Black blood was the key to controlling everything inside this house—including the portraits and wards—because I never told him. The blood traitor didn't deserve to know the truth."

"Yes, your son the traitor," Andromeda hissed. "Harry, you now have complete access to the house wards. I suggest bring them all up to full strength, especially the lethal ones. Do you really plan to cast a Fidelius Charm? That takes more power than I could ever manage."

"Raw power was never been a problem for me," Harry said. He dug into his Mokeskin pouch, and then handed her an ancient manuscript about wards.

The ritual was long and tedious, but the boy hadn't been exaggerating about his magical strength. He could crush her in a duel, but he didn't seem to realize it. Andromeda had always equated strength with arrogance, but Harry Potter was modest to a fault. At the end of the ritual he chose her as the new Secret Keeper, not that were was much choice in the matter.

"Call Kreacher for me, and tell him to obey my commands," Andromeda said once they were finally done.

"Kreacher." The ancient house-elf immediately appeared. "You know Mrs Tonks, don't you? She will be living here, along with her grandson Teddy who is also a member of the Black family. You will obey her without question. Is that clear?"

"Yes, master."

"Good," Andromeda said. "My first command is to go and find any orphan house-elves hiding around the country. I want at a matched pair, and they should be young and healthy. Now go."

Andromeda saw the question in the boy's eyes as Kreacher vanished. "After any major battle involving purebloods many of the house-elves will be left without a proper master or a mistress. An old pro like Kreacher will know where to find them, and he can bring a pair back here to serve the Black family."

"Fine, but you're explaining all this to my friend Hermione Granger when she gets back from Australia," Harry muttered.

After less than an hour Kreacher did return with a male house-elf named Uta and a female named Quin. After accepting them into service, the house-elves left to prepare three separate rooms for the night. Andromeda changed Teddy's nappies, and fed him another bottle as they waited in the dusty kitchen.

"How did you know about the orphan house-elves?" Harry asked as he tried to get Teddy to burp by gently patting his tiny back.

"I was raised to be the lady of a great pureblood household, even if I did turn my back on all of that nonsense. My mother made sure we knew all the tricks. I wonder why Cissy didn't beat me to it?" Andromeda mused.

"The entire Malfoy family is under house arrest, pending their trial," Harry explained. "I plan on testifying on behalf of your nephew Draco and your sister, but Lucius can burn in hell for all I care."

"Why would you do something so foolish? They are all Death Eaters—even Cissy."

"Mrs Malfoy protected me from Voldemort during the Battle of Hogwarts by pretending that I was still dead. If Voldemort knew I was alive again, he would have killed me again. I think I would have been a permanent death if he had killed me a second time."

Andromeda stared at the boy for a good minute. "Are you insane?" she finally asked.

Harry thought about the question for another minute before replying. "I guess I will have to tell you my whole life story. From the beginning to the present. After hearing everything maybe you can tell me if I'm insane. I would really like to know, one way or the other."

* * *

Several hours later Andromeda was trying to get some sleep, but her mind wasn't cooperating. The story Harry had told her down in the kitchen was unbelievable. She had already heard some of it from Nymphadora, who got her information from Sirius and Remus. But the details were new, and for Harry the devil was truly in the details. A devil named Albus Dumbledore.

As Andromeda listen to the boy talk, her anger had slowly shifted from him to her old Headmaster. The plot was obvious in hindsight: create a martyr. Dumbledore couldn't bring himself to destroy Harry and the Horcrux he carried, so he arranged for the Dark Lord to do it for him. The great Dumbledore couldn't have the blood of an innocent child on his hands, could he? Harry had been programed to die, and he had preformed accordingly.

While the whole ridiculous plan had worked, it could have just as easily failed. And its questionable success had come at a terrible price. A price that included Nymphadora and Ted. The war could have been prevented if Dumbledore had chosen to act, but he had not. Instead he had left the problem of the Dark Lord to an ignorant teenage boy, and everyone had suffered because of it.

Andromeda knew Harry was right about the remaining Death Eaters. Even if the Dark Lord was dead, his movement was not. The war would continue. Perhaps not right away, but soon the purebloods would rise again. And the three people in this house would be at the top of their hit list. And thanks to Dumbledore's stupidity, the purebloods would be facing a severely weakened enemy.

But what could she do about that now? Andromeda didn't fancy looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life. And given her grandson's connection to Harry she would be, and no matter how far away they ran from the United Kingdom. It was only a matter of time before someone tried to use Teddy to hurt his godfather.

If running wasn't an option that meant she had to stay and fight. Harry was a powerful wizard, but it was clear that he had been Dumbledore's puppet from the beginning. The boy had no idea what to do next, but what if he had a new mentor to provide him with guidance?

_Someone like me, _Andromeda thought as she stared up at the dark ceiling._ That has possibilities_.

* * *

Bathing an infant without fully developed muscle control is a nerve-racking experience for anyone. Especially for a teenage boy who is afraid of drowning his little godson. So perhaps it wasn't a good idea to outline her first idea while Harry was attempting to give Teddy a bath.

"And you think I'm insane? Isn't this just great for Teddy. The two adults in his life are both certified loons," Harry complained. "In case you've forgotten I just robbed Gringotts, and use one of their dragons to escape through the bloody roof. If I step foot inside the bank again the Goblins are going to kill me."

"They are not going to kill the wizard who just rid the world of the Dark Lord," Andromeda said with more confidence than was justified. "The Goblins won't kill you, they will just fine you for the damages you caused. Hermione Granger's money is safe is the muggle world, and Ron Weasley is dirt poor. But _you_ have a healthy number of galleons in your Vault. If we don't move now those fines will continue to grow until you are completely bankrupt."

"Money isn't important to me. I was poor for most of my life."

"Yes, you told me about your cruel Uncle and wicked Aunt. You might not have liked the Dursleys, but they did provide you with food and shelter for nearly sixteen years. If your Vault is empty, how are you going to the same for Teddy?"

That insult set the boy off, and like any good teenager he sulked. The silent treatment lasted until they put Teddy back to bed.

"My childhood was pretty lousy, but you're right—I wasn't abused," Harry finally admitted. "Neglected yes, but not abused. And Teddy will need those galleons, even if I don't. So I agree that we have to deal with Gringotts, but wouldn't a nice conversation be better than blackmail? What if we accidentally start another war?"

"We aren't going to star a war, we are going to prevent one," Andromeda replied. "People are going to want to know why you had to break into Gringotts in the first place, and when they find out the truth there will be a war unless we make a deal with the Goblins."

"Who is going to watch Teddy?"

The boy couldn't find fault her logic, so he was looking for another excuse not to go. It was annoying. "We have three house-elves now."

"You can't leave my godson with bloody house-elves."

"Why not? Most pureblood children are practically raised by their house-elves. I certainly was."

"Yes, and look how well that turned out for your sister Bellatrix," Harry snapped.

Andromeda gave the boy a calculating stare. "You are wasting my time. What is your real problem?"

The boy blushed, but then he turned to looked her straight in the eyes. "If you really must know I don't want to face another life-threatening situation as a virgin."

Andromeda thought back to his life story. "You and the Weasley girl never did anything? That's surprising considering her mother's reputation. Molly Prewett was certainly no prude."

The still-blushing boy shook his head.

"And all that time in the tent alone with Hermione Granger, and she never once took pity on you? No? Well, this is all very amusing, but what would you like me to do about it?" Her question received no answer, which was all the answer she needed. "You can't be serious, I am five years older than your late mother."

"That does that matter? You're very attractive, and I don't want to face death as a virgin. Again. It has been at least a dozen times, and I'm bloody sick and tired of it," Harry complained.

Andromeda knew the boy was being sincere. The Blacks had picked their mates based on important traits like beauty and magical strength—not trivial matters like love or mental stability. She hadn't spent any time in Azkaban like Bellatrix or Sirius, so her classical good looks hadn't been ruined. And she had given birth to Nymphadora at eighteen, so her slim figure wasn't a problem either.

_Ted is gone, so technically I'm a widow_, Andromeda thought. _A__nd there __is an excellent chance we are going to die tomorrow at Gringotts. So what the hell._

In her defense it must be said that with the loss of Ted and Nymphadora she was not in her right state of mind. In fact Andromeda Tonks and her right state of mind were separated by a distance of at least a dozen kilometers. So she began to undress right there in the middle of the kitchen, and once naked hopped up onto the wooden table.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked while casting both a Contraceptive and Lubrication Charm on herself.

Harry's clothes disappeared in a burst of accidental magic, but he was too terrified to take the initiative. Finally she grabbed his arse with one hand, and guided him in with the other. He managed to last for two minutes, which Andromeda felt was respectable showing for a virgin. Afterwords he stared into her eyes looking for something, but she couldn't imagine what he was hoping to find. She hopped-off the table, and gathered her discarded clothes from the floor.

"If you want a human babysitter, find one quickly. I want our business with Gringotts to be finish as soon as possible."

* * *

The Great Hall of Hogwarts was in a state of total chaos. Several Aurors were present, but they weren't helping matters. The families of many of the students were refusing to leave until they felt the school was safe again. The newly appointed Headmistress Minerva McGonagall was trying to restore order, but she simply didn't have the personal authority of a wizard like Albus Dumbledore. Worst of all, Harry Potter had gone missing.

Luna Lovegood took this all in as she sat alone eating her breakfast of bacon and eggs. Her father had returned home to put out a Special Edition of the _Quibbler_ detailing the dramatic death of You-Know-Who. Hermione had already left to find her parents in Australia, while Ron and Ginny were surrounded by their grieving family. A grinning Neville had been dragged away by Susan and Hannah a few minutes ago—she was surprised they let him eat breakfast with any clothes on.

"You wouldn't happen to know where I could find some pudding?"

Luna could hear Harry's voice, but she couldn't see him. "I take it you are still hiding from everyone. Why did you come back?"

"I came back for you," Harry whispered. "I need to ask you for a favor. Could you please come with me? It's important, but I don't want to discuss the details here."

"Move over," Luna said as she joined him under the Invisibility Cloak. Once they were outside the wards of Hogwarts, Harry used Side-Along Apparition to take them to a muggle neighborhood in London.

"Read this."

The slip of parchment Harry gave her had a single sentence written on it: _the Tonks family lives at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place_. Once the words entered her mind a townhouse began to appear out of nowhere. "What is so important that you had to use a Fidelius Charm?" Luna asked as they made their way up the dirty front steps.

"I'm staying here with my godson Teddy Lupin and his grandmother. We have to go to Gringotts today, and I would really appreciate it if you could watch little Teddy for us. We have three house-elves to do most of the work, but I would feel more comfortable if you here to supervise them," Harry explained.

"I would be glad to help. Is Teddy Lupin related to the late Professor Lupin?" Luna asked. "I wasn't aware that he was married."

"The wedding happened last year during the war," Harry said as he took her up to the bedroom where Teddy was sleeping.

"Yes, the lovely shotgun wedding that every mother dreams about for her daughter," said an older witch who was waiting for them on the second floor. She was very beautiful, and wearing an immaculate set of black dress robes. "You must be Luna Lovegood."

"Luna, this is Teddy's grandmother Andromeda Tonks. Andromeda, this is my good friend Luna Lovegood."

"Your good friend indeed," Andromeda said as she openly studied the Luna's appearance. "Harry could have used your help last night."

This odd comment brought a deep blush to Harry's face. "I would have been willing to help. What did you need last night?"

"Don't worry Miss Lovegood, the boy will be needing plenty of help in the future," Andromeda told her. "Won't you Harry? Lots and lots of help, I imagine."

"Luna, if we aren't back by tonight please have an owl deliver this letter to the _Daily Prophet_, and give the other one to your father," the blushing wizard said as he handed her two thick envelops. "Hopefully we will be back before then."

* * *

They entered the lobby of Gringotts while still under the boy's Invisibility Cloak. Dealing with a crowd of adoring fans was the last thing either one of them wanted to do at the moment.

"Are you sure this will work?" Harry asked.

Andromeda pulled off the Cloak. "No, I'm not sure this will work. Not at all, but it's too late to turn back now."

One of the goblins noticed them, and soon they were surrounded by a dozen angry warriors.

Rather than panic Andromeda spoke an old phase in Gobbledegook: "**I have business with the Goblins concerning matters of ****blood**." It was the only Gobbledegook she knew, but it worked. The phrase was a fail-safe the purebloods had written into all of the old Treaties. It insured an open line of communication was always available, even during hostilities. If you spoke the phrase the Goblins had to give you a hearing. They could cut your throat afterwords, but first they would hear you out.

"We will take you and the thief to see Ragnok," one of the Goblin warrior snarled as he caressed his long spear.

They were escorted to the office of the Goblin's uncrowned king. It was about what you would expect from the wealthiest and most powerful Goblin in the world: flashy and tasteless. At the center of this opulent display was Ragnok, who was sitting on a throne of gold and glittering jewels. At his right hand was an equally old Goblin male holding a large ledger book.

Once the door closed behind them Andromeda took out her wand, and removed Ragnok's head with a simply Reducto Curse. The two Goblin warriors in the office both attacked with their spears, but Harry killed them—more out of instinct than design. Not only was the boy powerful, he was fast. Maybe even faster than Bellatrix was back in the day. Maybe even as fast as the Dark Lord. That was good to know.

"You have broken the Treaty," said the goblin standing next to Ragnok's now-headless corpse. "Kill me if you want, but your lives are forfeit."

"By protecting the Lestrange Vault from Harry Potter, Ragnok was aiding the Dark Lord in his war. So **his** life was forfeit," Andromeda shot back. "If you have us killed the _Daily Prophet_ will print a story tomorrow detailing Gringotts' alliance with the Death Eaters."

"We have never had an alliance with any group of wizards, and that includes the Death Eaters," the Goblin snarled.

"Harry Potter says otherwise. Who do you think the Wizengamot and the general pubic will believe?"

"The boy can't testify if he is dead."

Harry bristled. "If I die today my friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley will corroborate everything I've told the _Daily Prophet_."

"However if we are allowed to leave Gringotts alive all this unpleasant information will be forgotten," Andromeda explained.

She was gambling with their lives, but the odds were in their favor. If a dead Harry Potter left information saying that Ragnok had rebelled, everyone would believe him. After an expensive civil war the Ministry of Magic desperately needed galleons, and the death of a young war hero would give them the perfect excuse to loot Gringotts.

But if this was kept quiet, then all of Ragnok's personal wealth would go to this second-in-command. A second-in-command who would then become the new unofficial king of the Goblins. All he had to do was cover-up the three dead bodies in this office. Then there would be no hint of a rebellion. No costly war that the Goblins were sure to lose in the long-run.

"What is the price of your silence?" the Goblin asked.

"Harry Potter will pay for the repairs to Gringotts. Nothing more, nothing less. There will be no additional monetary fines assessed a later date. The matter will be closed forever."

"If the wizard publicly pays for the repairs that would save face for the Goblin Nation. I can agree to this condition."

"Harry Potter will also claim the Vault of the late Tom Riddle by Right of Conquest."

The Right of Conquest was another loophole the purebloods created for themselves in the various Treaties with the Goblins. As much as they hated the little beasts, the great pureblood families knew the Goblins would keep their mouths shut. The Right of Conquest allowed wizards to kill their rivals, and then steal their wealth without the Ministry of Magic knowing anything about it. It was the perfect way to deal with uppity half-bloods and muggleborns who amassed too much wealth in the magical world.

"If I may say, you are a true daughter of the Black," the old Goblin remarked. "Do you know know how rich that Vault is?"

Harry snorted. "Considering the fact that Tom Riddle was a kleptomaniac with no sense of morality, I would imagine his Vault holds quite a bit."

"You are correct. The Potter family amassed only two million galleons during its long history. The Blacks did much better for themselves with five million galleons. But in less than fifty years Tom Riddle's Vault came to hold sixteen million galleons. He never made a withdrawn. Only deposits."

"That is because he funded his war with galleons collected from his pureblood supporters, or ones he stole from his victims," Andromeda said. "I doubt the Dark Lord paid for anything, not even the robes he wore or the meals he ate. Not when he could sponge off rich Death Eaters like Lucius and Bellatrix."

The Goblin continued: "On a related matter, Harry Potter is also a listed as a beneficiary in the wills of Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape."

"I have already received the items Dumbledore left me. Are you sure that Professor Snape left me something in his will?"

"The will you are referring to is the one on file at the Ministry of Magic. Wizards often have private arrangements with Gringotts to pass gold or other goods on to their descendents," the Goblin explained. "And yes, Severus Snape did leave you several hand-written journals. Albus Dumbledore left you a Pensieve."

"If those journals are anything like Snape's potions textbook, they would probably be very interesting to read," Harry said.

Andromeda insisted that they write up their own little Treaty to finalize the deal. The galleons from Tom Riddle's Vault would be transferred into the Potter Vault, minus the expense of repairing the damage the blind dragon had caused. The new leader of the Goblin Nation then called on several of his personal retainers to dispose of Ragnok and the two dead warriors.

"They will be fed to the dragons, and no one will be stupid enough to ask any questions. I strongly suggest that you never speak of this meeting again."

* * *

Andromeda could tell an argument was coming when they returned to Number Twelve, and she felt it was best to lance the boil at once. "Luna, if you could give us a few more minutes. Harry and I need to talk."

Once they reached the library Harry opened the small package he had received at Gringotts. It increased in size to reveal nine leather journals which were unmarked except for Roman numerals. The package also held a Pensieve with a single memory swirling around inside.

"That is probably a message for you. Would you like to take a look?" Andromeda asked, unwilling to start the fight.

"I'm not in the mood for Dumbledore's mind games right now. You said we were going to negotiate with the Goblins. Instead we just murdered three of them. For gold."

"Killing Goblins is how you negotiate with Goblins. If we hadn't acted, they would have bankrupted you. After everything you've been through in your life, aren't you sick and tired of being a helpless victim? Don't you want to take control of your destiny for once?"

"Not if it means becoming a murderer."

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "That's exactly the kind of hokum Albus Dumbledore always spouted."

"It's not hokum."

"Listen to me _boy_: everything you have gone through, all the suffering you endured, even having to walk into the Forbidden Forest to face your own death—all of that happened because of Albus Dumbledore. Because he couldn't bring himself to kill Tom Riddle when he had the chance. Dumbledore thought he was too moral to take a life. And how many die because of that towering arrogance? Too many, including my daughter Nymphadora who was foolish enough to place her trust in the old fraud."

Andromeda closed her eyes and tried to get her temper under control. "Harry, if you attempt to follow Dumbledore's path—his vision of how you should live your life—then you are going to die. And Teddy will die right along with you."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked with genuine concern.

"You must understand that Dumbledore was one of the few people holding our sick little world together, and now he is dead. Amelia Bones was another. I don't know if you ever met her, but she was a powerhouse of a witch. Even more so than Bellatrix. I've seen grown wizards trembling at the thought of facing her wand, and now she is dead. Rufus Scrimgeour might have been a scheming politician, but he could fight and everyone knew it. And now he is dead."

"The great leaders of our side—of the Forces of Light, if you will—are dead," Andromeda explained. "There is no one left to protect you if you aren't willing to protect yourself. We can't afford to just sit back and react to the pureblood's political agenda. We must attack them first. If we don't, it is only a matter of time until they come for you. And for Teddy."

It was all too much for the boy to take in. "I am starving. Let's go and see what Quin has made for dinner."

Andromeda knew she had done all she could for now. Her words would either make it through his thick skull, or they wouldn't. "We should invite Luna to stay overnight. It's too late for her to return to Hogwarts."

* * *

Despite everything that had happened, dinner was still a pleasant affair. The new house-elf Quin was an excellent cook, and Luna's presence seemed to calm Harry down. It quickly became apparent to Andromeda that Luna was just as damaged in her own way as the boy was. She was also madly in love with the great Harry Potter—even if he was totally oblivious to that fact.

Andromeda knew she could keep the Harry sexually enthralled for a year or two, perhaps a bit longer. But over time the age difference would become too much of a barrier between them. At some point he would turn away, and look for a witch closer to his own age.

A Hermione Potter would be a political disaster. Harry had told her several painful stories about SPEW, and anyone reckless enough to try and free the house-elves would get Harry killed in short order. Bellatrix had been the same way: intellectually brilliant, but in matters of politics a fool.

Ginny Potter... that would be a problem as well. An entire family of Dumbledore worshiping gingers—what a dreadful thought. They would fight Andromeda's plans for Harry's future every step of the way. So what to do about it? She had heard the stories about Molly. Was the daughter like the mother?

"Luna, tell me about Ginny. She wants to marry Harry, doesn't she? Is that why she has been holding out on poor boy? She figured that if his balls are blue enough he would propose?"

"I didn't share that information with you so you could use it as a topic of dinner conversation," Harry growled.

Luna ignored Harry, and turned to Andromeda. The girl was intelligent, and with a look she told the older witch that she had recognized her plan—and would play along.

"Yes, that is true. Ginny has had physical relations with her other boyfriends, but she is making Harry wait until they were married."

_Yes, a Luna Potter will do nicely,_ Andromeda thought.

"She did _**what** _with her other boyfriends?"

"Luna, did you know that when Harry fought his battle with the Dark Lord he was still a virgin?" Andromeda asked. She was laying it on with a trowel, but what did it matter? They were teenagers, a species not known for their subtlety.

"Harry, if you were my boyfriend I wouldn't have made you wait," Luna said as she looked the boy in the eyes. "You saved us all from the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and you saved me from that horrible cell where the Death Eaters kept me for all those weeks. You should never have to wait."

_Take one horny teenage boy, add in one deceitful girlfriend, and then mix with a willing best friend_, Andromeda thought. _And_ s_oon_ n_ature will take its course_.

The dinner conversation lasted for another ten minutes, but the hook was firmly planted in the fish's mouth. Harry finally asked Luna if she wanted to take a tour of the house. They practically flew up the stairs. Teddy—who was sitting on Andromeda's lap—let out a loud burp as the horny couple disappeared from sight.

"Indeed Teddy, indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

The next two weeks were the best of Harry Potter's short life. Voldemort was totally dead this time, and there was no longer a Prophecy hanging over his head. He was rich. Harry knew he had been well-off before, but now he was seriously rich. Teddy and Andromeda were as safe as he could make them. Best of all, there was Luna.

Luna Potter, his wife. After twenty-four hours in bed together, Harry had sent Uta the house-elf back to Hogwarts to secretly collect all of their belongings. After a week in bed together he proposed to her. A small part of him knew they were too young, but the rest of him didn't care. Harry did not just have a _near-death _experience, he had a _death_ experience. How could he rationalize waiting for a future that might never come?

They went to find Luna's father Xenophilius that day, so he could witness the wedding of his only daughter. Since the elder Lovegood had sold Harry, Hermione, and Ron out to the Death Eaters it was an awkward meeting.

"Luna, where have you been? Headmistress McGonagall has sent the Aurors out looking for you. For you too, Mr Potter. Your... disappearance is all anyone can talk about."

Xenophilius was torn between relief at seeing his daughter alive, and embarrassment at seeing the Boy-Who-Lived. To Harry it seemed like the perfect moment to ask for Luna's hand in marriage.

"Mr Lovegood, I would like to marry your daughter. Today, if that is all right with you."

"Daddy, tell Harry he has your blessing." Luna still had issues with father's actions during the war. A lot of issues. "Tell him right now."

"Er... welcome to the family."

Xenophilius then joined the small wedding party as they made their way to muggle London. Harry had no desire for the national circus that a magical wedding would entail. And Luna was so happy she would have gladly had the wedding at the bottom of the Black Lake and presided over by a Merman if that's what Harry wanted. They agreed to simply register their marriage with the muggle government. After a week or two the paperwork would reach Ministry of Magic, not that either one of them really cared.

Luna had saved the silver dress she wore during their one date to the Slug Club, and she thought it would make a perfect wedding dress. Harry agreed. However the poor muggle who married them didn't know what to make of Luna's odd jewelry or Harry's black dress robes. Andromeda could barely keep a straight face during the ceremony, and Teddy kept giggling. Xenophilius cried.

You would think that having a honeymoon in the same house with your godson and his grandmother would kill the atmosphere—especially since Harry recently had sex with the grandmother in question. But the two newlyweds didn't mind at all. They were having a wonderful time at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place and no one could ruin it for them.

Well, maybe one person could: the new Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. It seemed Harry's disappearance was causing some problems for the Ministry of Magic, and Kingsley wanted to meet with him as soon as possible. He was so desperate that he personally ambushed Kreacher at a butcher's shop in Diagon Alley, and forced the house-elf to take a letter to his master.

Uta—who had never thought much of Kreacher to begin with—was outraged by this betrayal, and demanded the ultimate penalty. Harry had never forgiven the old house-elf for his part in Sirius' death, but he had been willing to look the other way after the Battle at Hogwarts. Now he had agreed with Uta: Kreacher wouldn't have cooperated with Kingsley if he was truly loyal to his master. The safety of his new wife and godson were at sake, so Harry gave his Uta and Quin his approval. The three house-elves disappeared, and they never saw Kreacher again.

"This is going to be a disaster, I just know it," Luna said as she reread Kingsley's short letter.

"Don't worry Mrs Potter, I have an agenda drawn up. If Minister Shacklebolt thinks he can run roughshod over your husband like Albus Dumbledore did, then he's in for a nasty surprise," Andromeda said.

* * *

The whole point of this impromptu summit was to negotiate Harry's return to the magical world, so Andromeda insisted that they meet at a muggle hotel in Birmingham. Kingsley was to come alone, and if he didn't they had a pair of Portkeys ready. They also had two brooms if the Aurors tried to trap them with a set of temporary wards. Harry was surprised to learn that Andromeda was an excellent flier thanks to her four years as a Chaser for Slytherin Quidditch team.

"Do you really think all these precautions are necessary?" Harry asked during their long planning session.

"I lost my husband to the Ministry of Magic," Andromeda said coldly. "Even if some of the personal are new, it's still the same vile and corrupt institution it has always been. It you forget that even for a second, then you are as good as dead."

Harry was brought back to the present when Kingsley finally knocked on the door. He let the older wizard into the room, and offered him a drink. The Minister skipped the drink and the small talk.

"We are all curious about your plans for the future," Kingsley said as he sat down on the plush sofa. "Given the role you played in Voldemort's defeat, everyone was shocked you left without any warning. You also haven't taken part in any of the recent celebrations, which is raising eyebrows. The average witch and wizard would like to thank you for everything you've done."

Harry and Andromeda shared a look. She had warmed him that Kingsley would try to snowball him with promises of adoring crowds and joyous celebrations. Andromeda argued that if he allowed the Ministry of Magic to treated as a teenager with no power, that is exactly what he would become. He had to establish his political authority quickly before others tried to fill the vacuum left by the deaths of Dumbledore and Voldemort.

"Before we discuss my future plans I have a few questions. First of all, what do you plan to do with the Death Eaters you now have under arrest?" Harry asked.

"There will be trials beginning on the first of the month," Kingsley said. It was clearly an uncomfortable subject for him.

"The entire government was purged of anyone who wasn't a fanatical supporter of the Dark Lord, so how can you have trials that are remotely fair?" Andromeda asked.

"We have been replacing key members of the Ministry of Magic since the Battle of Hogwarts. The trials will be fair—I can guarantee that."

Harry decided to ignored the fiction of fair trials, and laid out his own terms. "Everyone with the Dark Mark must die, and everything they own will be taken as compensation for their muggleborn victims."

That statement shocked Kingsley. "You want me to execute sixty-four of the most powerful pureblood wizards in the country?"

"For starters," Andromeda said. "There will also be a total pardon for any actions Harry and his friends were forced to take during the war. Since that would cover your actions as well, I don't think it will be much of a problem."

"The pardons are already being drafted by my personal lawyer. Do you have anything else in mind?" the Minister asked with a great deal of sarcasm.

"Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and I will receive the Order of Merlin, First Class. No one else—including you and the other members of the Order of the Phoenix—will receive any special recognition for their roles in the war," Harry said.

"So you did it all by yourself Potter?" Kingsley ask in a dangerous tone. "That's not how I remember it."

Andromeda believed that any awards given out would be the first step in a campaign to minimize Harry's role in Voldemort's defeat. The Ministry of Magic would spread credit around liberally, including to those who didn't deserve any. It went against the grain for Harry to deny others the recognition they had earned, but for political reasons he agreed with Andromeda.

"No. As I said, Hermione and Neville helped."

* * *

Kingsley turned away to hide his anger. He had planned on awarding himself an Order of Merlin, First Class to cement his status in the new government, but how could Potter have known that? It must have been Andromeda. She was a former member of the Black family with all the baggage that implied. The witch would have to be watched closely from now on.

It was time for some veiled threats. "I take it you are living at our former headquarters?"

Kingsley knew that the Order of the Phoenix had a headquarters before the war started, and that it was located somewhere in London. However the exact address eluded him, which meant it was now under the Fidelius Charm. This was a problem, but not an insurmountable one. There were ways to crack the Fidelius, but they would require a lot of time and manpower.

Andromeda smiled as if she could read his mind—which she couldn't thanks to his Occlumency training. "Minister, our living arrangements are none of your concern. Harry also expects automatic Apparition and Portkey Licenses. And a round of NEWT testings should be scheduled at Hogwarts as soon as possible."

Kingsley knew it was in his interest to pacify the boy, so he began the negotiations. "I can agree to everything except the executions. The Ministry of Magic can not engage in a mass murder. And that is what it would look like to many important people."

"Of the sixty-four marked Death Eaters how many are younger than twenty?" Andromeda asked.

"Ten, if I remember correctly. Why?"

"We both know that the Dark Mark was a sign of the élite for the Dark Lord. His hardcore supporters easily numbered in the hundreds, and thousands agreed with him to one degree or another. Fifty-four wizards is the bare minimum we are willing to accept. Given the horrific nature crimes they committed, it is a travesty of justice that we are executing so few. This pureblood racism has eating us alive for decades, and it must end now."

"You are right, execution is exactly what the Death Eaters deserve. But that many deaths will trigger another war—another war we can't afford at the moment. We need time to recover our strength."

Andromeda shook her head. "Those were the same arguments Albus Dumbledore used back in eighties. It was a mistake then, and it is a mistake now."

"And if you let Lucius Malfoy walk free again, there will be another war," Harry said in a quite voice.

"Is that a threat?"

"Yes, it is," Harry replied.

"Calm down boys," Andromeda snapped. "Kingsley, we both know you have very little credibility with the general public. For most you are just another corrupt Auror from a corrupt Ministry of Magic. You need Harry to provide your new government with legitimacy. That is why you asked for this meeting in the first place."

"The death of the Death Eaters will cause you problems in the short term—we admit that. But in the long-term it will strengthen moderate and progressive elements within the Ministry. Isn't that what Dumbledore wanted? Isn't that what you want? To lead us out of the dark ages and into a better future for all wizards and witches regardless of blood."

"When can we schedule the Order of Merlin ceremony?" he asked, signaling his acceptance of their terms. As painful as it was for him to admit, Kingsley Shacklebolt needed to be standing arm-in-arm with the great Harry Potter if he wanted to survive as the Minister of Magic for any length of time.

"As soon as Hermione is back in the country. Do you have any idea when that will be?" Harry asked.

"As a matter of fact I do. The Australian Ministry wasn't happy that she managed to break the quarantine, and sneak into their country. She should be back in the next few days," Kingsley explained.

"Are you serious? Other countries have us under a quarantine? Do they think we were diseased farm animals or something?"

"Harry, we are diseased animals," Andromeda said. "How else would you describe the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters?"

* * *

Hermione Granger was a mess. Not only had she returned from Australia with her newly divorced mother, but then Harry had informed her that she would be taking her NEWTs in less than a month. The news that the Death Eaters were to be executed didn't bother her that much—she only questioned why the number of condemned was so low. The war done a great deal of damage to her sense of social justice.

"A month! How am I suppose to prepare a study schedule, let alone actually study in a month's time," she cried.

Harry tried to reassure her. "Hermione, please calm down. Luna and I will be right beside you the whole time. Considering how well you did on your OWLs, you should have no problems with your NEWTs."

Luna had elected to take her exams with Harry even though she had been locked-up at the Malfoy Manor for half of her sixth year. The new Mrs Potter wasn't upset about skipping her last year at Hogwarts. Not in the least. In fact she was probably hoping to be pregnant by the first of September. Harry told Hermione that she had stopped using the Contraceptive Charm right after their wedding.

Hermione and her mother had taken up residence with the growing family at Number Twelve. Apparently the Granger marriage wasn't very stable, and the only thing holding it together had been their daughter. With Hermione out of the picture thanks to the Memory Charm, the marriage only lasted six weeks. At that point Richard Granger ran off with their buxom dental hygienist.

Rather than being angry, Beatrice and Richard thanked Hermione when they recovered their old memories. They were both much happier with their new lives Down Under. While her father had decided to stay in Australia, her mother returned with Hermione to the United Kingdom for a vacation. Beatrice was interested in daughter's life as a witch, and wanted to see more of the magical world now that the war was finally over.

Teddy **Potter** also had a few secrets of his own. Since he was the son of a dark creature, Nymphadora and Remus had not been able to register his birth with the Ministry of Magic. If they had, all three of them would have been arrested and most likely killed. And thanks to the chaos of the war Teddy's birth hadn't been registered with the muggle government either—basically he had no legal existence.

When Harry went to correct this oversight, Andromeda shocked him by insisting that he claim Teddy as his biological son. She argued that as the son of a werewolf he would face endless discrimination, but as the son of famous Boy-Who-Lived all sorts of doors would be opened for him in the future. His parents weren't alive to deny it, and as a Metamorphmagus it would be easy for Teddy hide the truth in a few years. A pair of green eyes is all it would take. Harry had no idea about how much Andromeda despised Remus, and he agreed to the deception in order to pacify her. They used a Memory Charm to fool a muggle official into providing them with the necessary documentation.

"It is going to be really uncomfortable dealing with Ron and Ginny when we arrive at Hogwarts for Order of Merlin ceremony," Hermione remarked—rather unnecessarily in Harry's opinion.

News of Harry and Luna's marriage had been leaked to the _Daily Prophet_, and it was splashed all over the front page. A second bombshell dropped the next day when the _Prophet_ reported that Teddy was Harry's son. They also provided an entirely fictional timeline of his love life. According to Rita Skeeter's breathless article Harry had a real weakness for older witches. First there had been Hermione, then Cho Chang, and finally Nymphadora.

"If they only knew the truth," Andromeda slyly added.

According to Skeeter, the Chosen One had broken this habit only days after the tragic death of the mother of his firstborn son. Harry decided to take a child bride to soothe his broken heart. This snide comment offered a rare chance to see his new wife explode in anger.

"I am not a bloody child bride!" Luna yelled over and over again.

Added to this list of disasters was the fact that Hermione had dumped Ron the minute she returned home. Australia had opened Hermione's eyes in more ways than one. She now saw her father for what he really was: an arrogant, lazy, and narrow-minded bigot who criticized his intelligent wife far too often. Andromeda explained that this is why she had been attracted to Ron, and her mother Beatrice agreed.

Yes, seeing the Weasleys again was going to be a barrel of laughs.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

"Hermione, all these books will still be here when we get back." Harry said with a smile. One of the few constants in his life had been Hermione and her love of books. Hopefully she would never change.

"Harry, some of these date from before the founding of Hogwarts. I even found a copy of a book _everyone_ in the magical world swears has been lost forever, but here it is in my hands," Hermione said with a fanatical glow in her eyes.

They were sitting in the library of Albus Dumbledore's personal—and more importantly secret—cabin. Maybe cabin wasn't the right word. It was more like a manor built deep into the side of a mountain. One of the same mountains you saw every day right next to Hogwarts. Expect they were on the far side, safely hidden away from sight. Dumbledore built it here for a special reason. The massive wards of the castle bleed through the mountain itself, and managed to mask the cabin's location from the rest of the world. Only the Headmaster had known of its existence, and he had left it to Harry via a memory stored in his Pensieve.

"A fitting reward for his most obedient servant, don't you think?" was Andromeda's reaction to the news.

After Minister Shacklebolt implied that he knew the general location of Number Twelve, the London townhouse stopped being a safe haven. So Harry and his new family made the decision to move out before it was too late. There was plenty of room here at Dumbledore's cabin, so Grangers were also staying for a few weeks.

Hermione was mesmerized by the small library. Dumbledore's personal collection wasn't large, but every book was rare and valuable. In some cases even priceless, if his bookish friend was correct. Of course the library had increased in size with the addition of the books they had brought along from Grimmauld Place.

While exploring their new home Harry found another treasure hidden in the natural caves below. Dumbledore had his own personal treasure vault, but it didn't hold galleons. Instead it was full of tiny pieces of pure gold—several very large piles of them.

"The Philosopher's Stone," Andromeda said at once when he showed her the crude vault. "Dumbledore had access to it for many years, and he must have used it to create this stockpile for himself. The bastard was just like the Dark Lord. He had access to all this wealth, but he refused to share it with anyone during the war."

They had no plans to trade this gold to the Goblins in return for galleons. Instead they would sell it directly to the muggle in small quantities. Having money hidden away in the muggle world seemed like a good idea considering Harry's recent problems with Gringotts. In fact he had already removed a third of his galleons from the bank.

"Hermione, you can stay here as long as you like. As long as it takes you to read every book in this library," Harry promised. "But right now you have to get dressed. It isn't every day you receive the Order of Merlin, First Class. And I know you are looking forward to see one of our classmates in particular."

Hermione blushed, and then ran to her room. After an hour under her mother's care, she joined Harry and Luna as they prepared to leave. For reasons of safety, Andromeda and Beatrice would stay behind at the cabin to watch little Teddy.

"Are you both ready?" Luna asked.

Harry and Hermione shared a look. "No."

* * *

"Well, I see the other two guests of honor have finally arrived."

Harry might have been the Vanquisher of Voldemort, but Minerva McGonagall could still cut him down to size with a single comment. The Portkey had taken them directly to her office, so there was no avoiding the new Headmistress of Hogwarts.

"Miss Granger, I was glad to hear you found your parents so quickly," McGonagall said as she wrapped her favorite student in a tight hug. Hermione was just as shocked as Harry and Luna. None of them had seen such warmth from the old witch before.

"Mrs Potter, I believe congratulations are in order." Again she surprised them by giving Luna a hug. Harry didn't have to worry though—not if the glare McGonagall was giving him was any indication.

"Mr Potter." There was the old battleaxe they knew and loved. "First of all you disappear from Hogwarts without a word to your friends. Then everyone learns from the _Daily Prophet_ that you and Nymphadora had a child together—behind Remus' back. You will explain to me at once how you could betray your friend in this fashion."

"Headmistress McGonagall, you know how much Remus hated being a werewolf. He would have given anything to be rid of his curse. And if he could have spared Teddy the stigma of having a werewolf for a father, don't you think he would have gladly done it?"

"Are you saying that Teddy really isn't..."

Harry held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not saying anything, and I never will. I just want Teddy to have the best life he possibly can. In my heart I believe Remus would have wanted that too."

"That may be true, but this subject will not simply go away. I have a feeling it will cause you and young Teddy a great many problems in the future." The Headmistress appeared to be looking into that distant future right then-and-there. And to think she had always dismissed Divination as pure bunk. "Come along, everyone is waiting for us."

As they made their way down to the Great Hall they were interpreted by Minister Shacklebolt himself.

"First Kreacher, and now us Kingsley. You have a real talent for ambushes," Harry said. The slight pause in the Minister's reaction to this joke set his instincts on edge. Even worse was his response.

"Potter, I would like to talk to you alone," the Minister said as he pointed to an empty classroom.

"Sure." As soon as the door closed, Harry drew the Elder Wand and disarmed the older wizard. Then **Kingsley** began to laugh. Yes, something was definitely wrong here.

"Minister Shacklebolt was right: you didn't even let me start talking. You simply attacked. Here, take this." The imposter held out a small mirror with a tiny image of another Kingsley on it. The real one perhaps? After checking to see that is wasn't a Portkey, Harry took it.

"Sorry about this little charade, but I'm afraid we have a serious problem," the Kingsley in the enchanted mirror said. "Intelligence reports suggests that Voldemort's second-string supporters have gathered a war party, and they are planning to attack Hogwarts... right about now. For some strange reason they want to kill you."

Harry let out a few choice expletives under his breath. "Why did you send an imposter? Why didn't you come yourself?"

"I'm at the Ministry of Magic with my most trusted Aurors guarding the élite Death Eaters in the holding cells. Preventing their escape has to be my top priority," Kingsley explained. "Besides, the Chosen One is there to protect Hogwarts."

"Does that means the Aurors you sent here can't be trusted?"

"That is a very real possibility. In fact some of them might even allow these junior-grade Death Eaters into the castle. I'm afraid many people here at the Ministry of Magic are very unhappy that our side won the war."

"This attack on Hogwarts is a perfect opportunity to finish off even more of Voldemort's supporters, so why aren't you taking it?"

"My resources are limited."

He was lying, but why? Then all the puzzle pieces fell into place for Harry. "You're in London because you plan on staging a fake jailbreak while the real attack is going on here at Hogwarts. All the prisoners will be killed while they are attempting to escape. I'm sure you and your **trusted** Aurors have it all planned out, don't you?"

Kingsley grimaced. "I'm sorry to be placing everyone at Hogwarts in danger, but I cannot have the blood of fifty-four wizards on my hands at the start of my term as Minister of Magic. You forced me to swear an oath to execute the marked Death Eaters, and they will die... in this fake battle. That way their pureblood families can't blame me for their deaths, nor will they have an excuse to start another war."

"And if I am accidentally killed during the real attack at Hogwarts, then that's just an added bonus for you."

"Potter, be careful what you say, and who you say it to. We are not enemies. At least not yet."

* * *

"Neville, we have to talk," Harry said as he grabbed his big friend by the arm and dragged him into the antechamber located behind the High Table. The ceremony was scheduled to start in just a few minutes.

"What is going on?" he asked without a trace of panic. Neville's experiences during his seventh year had certainly changed him. The timid little wizard Harry had meet during their first year was nowhere to be seen.

"Some junior-grade Death Eaters are planning to attack Hogwarts, the Minister Shacklebolt who arrived earlier in the evening is an imposter, and we can't trust any of the Aurors on duty in the Great Hall."

"I'll go and spread the word to the DA. What's the plan?"

Once again Harry could see why Neville might have been selected by fate or whatever it was that controlled their destinies. _He could have beaten Voldemort too_, Harry thought to himself. _He probably would have done a better job of it than I did_.

"Headmistress McGonagall checked the wards a few minutes ago, and someone let an unknown group of wizards into the castle. The portraits report that they are hiding near the dungeons. The castle is locked down now, so we are only dealing with this one group. But we can't attack them first without exposing ourselves to the Aurors—who we can't trust either."

"Then why not attack the Aurors first?" Neville asked.

"I don't want to give anyone in the Wizengamot an excuse to send me or the members of the DA to Azkaban."

"They would never send the Boy-Who-Livedto Azkaban."

"Yes, they would. In a heartbeat," Harry said with conviction. "We're just going to have to wait for them to make the first move. We can anticipate the direction of their attack, so that should help. Tell the DA to open fire right away. Don't hesitate at all. Remember we can't trust any of the Aurors, so return fire them if they go hostile. And Neville... tell everyone no Stunners this time."

"Dumbledore wouldn't have been happy to hear you say that."

"Than it's a good thing the old wanker is dead."

Neville returned about five minutes later. "All the DA members know what's going on. Do you think they will attack before the bloody ceremony starts? Because I have to tell you, I really don't want go through with this."

"Sorry, but you are out of luck," Hermione said as the fake Minister Shacklebolt rose to give his opening speech. Harry was pleasantly surprised. Whoever the imposter was, he was an excellent speaker.

Hermione was up first. "And now I would like to present the Order of Merlin, First Class to Hermione..."

Mid-sentence the doors of the Great Hall exploded. It figured that a popular muggleborn like Hermione would be one of their top targets. Since the Death Eaters preferred using the Killing Curse, Shield Charms would be useless. Instead Harry levitated the High Table into the air. The heavy wooden table blocked at least a dozen Killing Curses before it exploded into a thousand splitters.

The Death Eaters wannabes were focusing all their attention on guests of honor in the front of the Great Hall, so the surviving members of the DA were free to return fire. And they weren't using Stunners either. For a few seconds Harry thought that no one on their side would be hurt or killed tonight.

But it was not to be. At least six of the Aurors on duty began casting. Unlike the Death Eaters at the back of the Great Hall, these traitors had a better angle of fire. With his superior reflexes Harry managed save Hermione from a Killing Curse by blocking it with a chair. But Headmistress McGonagall and the Kingsley imposter were both killed before the rogue Aurors could be put down by the DA.

It was all over in less than two minutes, but then a massive wave of panic hit the Great Hall. Everyone believed the war was over, but now they had suffered through yet another Death Eater attack. And the new Minister of Magic was dead. The screams from the crowd were deafening.

First Harry checked to see if Luna and Hermione were alright. Then he placed his wand against his throat: "SILENCE!" The stone walls of Hogwarts actually trembled. It was pretty amazing what the Elder Wand was capable of.

"Everyone calm down. The threat was been dealt with. Let us see to the wounded." On that score he didn't have much hope—no one had used nonlethal curses during the short battle.

"She's dead!"

Harry would have recognized that voice anywhere. It was the voice of someone he thought he was in love with, someone he thought he going to marry. Harry turned to see Ginny Weasley holding the lifeless body of her mother.

* * *

Andromeda waited only a few minutes after Harry, Luna, and Hermione left by Portkey to dose Beatrice and Teddy with a Sleeping Draught. With the two safely asleep she took her broom and a spare invisibility cloak Dumbledore had left them, and made her way over the small mountain to Hogwarts. She just manage to make it inside the castle before the Headmistress sealed the wards.

With an invisibility cloak it wasn't difficult for Andromeda to make her way to the Great Hall undetected. There she found her target: the witch who killed Bellatrix. Despite all her crimes—despite the fact that she had killed Nymphadora—Andromeda still loved her older sister. Growing up she had been so perfect: brilliant, beautiful, and even as a teenager a supremely gifted duelist. Everyone thought Bellatrix's future prospects were unlimited.

_A future Minister of Magic or Headmistress of Hogwarts_, they all said.

But that was before she met the Dark Lord. Before her eccentricities blossomed into madness. For her to die at the hands of this... peasant. It beggared belief.

Andromeda knew that Molly Weasley was a schemer. She and her horde of gingers had gotten their claws into the Boy-Who-Lived, and they wouldn't let go without a fight. It simply wouldn't do. She wasn't going to share Harry and Luna with anyone, let alone the bitch who had murdered her sister.

It didn't surprise Andromeda when a magical brawl of some sort erupted. It was the reason why she was here. Someone was bound to try and assassinate Harry, and this ceremony was the perfect opportunity. It was also a perfect time to eliminate a rival. She was less than two meters away when she used the Killing Curse to avenge Bellatrix. She then took a pleasant flight around the Black Lake before returning to the Dumbledore's secret cabin.

* * *

"This is all your fault," Ginny screamed as she began casting hexes at Harry. He simply raised a Shield Charm. Seeing Molly's dead body had drained all his anger away. For once Arthur showed some backbone, and Stunned his hysterical daughter.

"I'm so sorry," Harry offered.

"Thank you," Arthur said as his sons gathered up the two witches. "We have to get Ginny and Molly to the Infirmary."

The entire Weasley family left without another word. Only Fleur had acknowledged his presence.

Harry turned to see Hermione weeping over the body of her dead mentor. Luna was holding on to her, and the newlyweds shared a look. Harry didn't have any time to comfort his best friend. All the Professors were still in shock over Minerva's death, and someone had to deal with this mess.

"Neville, do you have all the Aurors under control?"

"Yes, even the ones who claim to be loyal. Shouldn't you tell everyone that isn't Kingsley Shacklebolt?"

Harry again placed the Elder Wand against his throat. "If I could please have your attention. That is not the Minister of Magic. The real Kingsley Shacklebolt is in London. He received word of an attack on the Ministry of Magic, and remained behind to protect it."

That set the crowd off: "what an idiot!" and "how could he have been so stupid?" seemed to be the most common reactions to this revelation.

_Good luck with your popularity now Kingsley_, Harry thought.

Contacting the Ministry of Magic was next on his list. The DA were still mostly students, and they needed some official reinforcements to take the Aurors off their hands. Harry first tried using the enchanted mirror Kingsley had given him and then the Floo, but no one in London was answering any of his messages.

"Headmistress Sprout. Headmistress Sprout!" Many wizards and witches dream their entire lives of earning that title, but to gain it through the death of a close friend must have been terrible. No wonder the herbologist looked so shaken.

"I have to go to the Ministry of Magic to find out what is going on," Harry told her. "Neville and the DA have the situation under control. If you need anything just ask him." Neville was Sprout's best student, so hopefully they would be able to work together.

After a final word with Luna and Hermione, Harry made his way to the edge of the castle wards and Apparited to London. Instead of the empty street above the Ministry he found himself falling through a cloud of hot smoke. By instinct Harry repeated his first-ever Apparition to the rooftop of his old primary school in Little Whinging. It probably saved his life.

As he took a minute regain his bearings, Harry thought about the location of the Ministry of Magic. It was in Whitehall, not far from the Parliament. _I have been there before, and its far enough away from whatever is happening at Ministry for me to get a safe look_, Harry figured. He concentrated on the world-famous landmark and vanished with a quiet pop.

From the roof of the Parliament building it was easy to survey the damage. A dark plume of smoke was rising from the spot where the Ministry use to be. Harry slowly moved in for a closer look, using Apparition to jump from rooftop to rooftop until he was only one block away. The scene below was horrific. The entire muggle building that sat atop the Ministry of Magic was gone, and in its place was a gaping hole in the ground.

_There were nine or ten underground levels, and they must have all collapsed in on each other for some reason_, Harry thought with a growing sense of horror. _No one could have survived something like that. They must all be dead._


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

An anxious Narcissa Malfoy had spent six long hours waiting in this abandoned muggle house. She almost convinced herself that the plan had failed when green flames suddenly appeared in the old fireplace. A second later her foolish son flew across the room.

"Mother, you did send that wizard to help us?" Draco asked when he saw her. "Why are we doing this? Potter promised you and father an official pardon."

Narcissa pulled him aside before the next young wizard exited the temporary Floo connection. "We don't have time for any questions. Stand in that rune circle, and allow me to remove the Tracking Charms the Aurors placed on you."

"Mother..."

"_Crucio_!" It was a sad commentary on her parenting skills that the only way to compel her son's obedience was to use an Unforgivable Curse, if only for a brief second. "We are on a tight schedule. Now get in the circle!"

A terrified Draco did just that. The runes produced a white light the second he entered the small circle. It was a crude and painful ritual, but it did remove the standard Tracking Charms from his clothes and body.

"Sit down and be quiet until I'm done," Narcissa snapped.

Arranging this whole plan had meant calling in dozens of favors, and if she failed to save any of these boys there would be a price to pay. And she wouldn't be the only one to pay it. After the tenth young Death Eater emerged from the Floo they were followed by an ugly bald wizard wearing a hideous orange robe. He was the one who had freed Draco and the others from their holding cell at the Ministry of Magic, and showed them the secret passageway to the unguarded Floo.

"Is everything ready?" the Stranger asked.

"Yes," Narcissa replied. "Draco, follow this man's instructions to the letter, or I **will** Curse you again. That goes for all of you."

The group made their way upstairs where they found a large gold cauldron waiting for them. The cauldron was hanging from a standard tripod, but it was being heated by a muggle gas burner. The boiling potion was giving off the most appalling smell.

"Place your left arm into the potion," the Stranger told Draco. "Make sure that your Dark Mark is completely covered."

"No. Go ahead and do your worse. I'm not subjecting myself to an unknown potion. Who knows what it will do to me."

"The potion will not cause any permanent damage—it will simply remove the magical trace elements the Dark Mark has left on your arm. Even if the tattoo no longer works, the Aurors can still use it to track your location if they get close enough."

Draco hesitated.

"_Imperio_," the Stranger hissed. "Place your left arm into the gold cauldron."

The attack caught the Draco off guard, and before he could fight off the Imperius Curse his arm plunged into the boiling potion. Visible waves of pain racked his thin body. Finally the Stranger lifted his control, and Draco removed his arm as quickly as he could. To the amazement of the other Death Eaters his pale skin was free of any serious injuries.

"Stand over there and don't move." The next boy wasn't even given a choice; the Stranger simply used the Imperius Curse again. After they were all done, Narcissa spent a few moments conferred with the Stranger behind a Privacy Ward. They then turned to face the ten Death Eaters with their wands out.

"We are currently in a small village on the southern coast of England," Narcissa explained. "In few minutes we will take a short walk to the pier, and board a yacht that will take us to France. There we have powerful allies who are willing to shelter us for the time being. At no point will we use any magic, since that might give away our position to the Aurors. Do not provoke us, or you **will** suffer the consequences."

"Mother, who is this wizard? He wouldn't give us a name."

"He is someone I trust with your life. That is all you need to know."

"What about the pardons? Why do we have to run? Were they really going to execute us?" Draco asked.

"You know I have a way of communicating with your father—that we passed messages to one another even while he was in Azkaban?"

Lucius had created his own minor form of a Dark Mark crossed with a blood quill, and he branded Narcissa with it against her will. It allowed him to write a single word on the back of his hand, which would then appear in blood on the back of her hand. It was a painful and drawn-out technique, but did allow them to pass messages to each other no matter the distance.

"Even while your father was locked in a holding cell he still has his sources of information. It appears the pardons Potter promised us were to be revoked by Minister Shacklebolt, and that everyone who took the Dark Mark was going be executed."

"That is impossible," Theodore Nott said. "To execute that many purebloods—it would never happen."

Again the Stranger spoke. "Albus Dumbledore is dead you fool. The Dark Lord committed many horrible crimes against his enemies during the war. Now they want revenge, and your former Headmaster is no longer here to restrain them. The muggleborns and half-bloods will demand your heads, and Shacklebolt will gladly produce them in return for votes during the next election."

"What about my father," Draco asked. "What about the other Death Eaters? Do you have a plan to help them?"

"Because of your ages you were kept in a less secure part of the Ministry of Magic, and that allowed us to free you," Narcissa told her son. "That wasn't the case with the others. But don't worry, Lucius sent me a message that they had discovered another possible escape route. They will attempt a break-out within the hour. When that happens we **must** be out of the country."

With that the group reluctantly made their way through the dark and dirty muggle village to the waiting yacht. None of the young wizards had their wands and the two adults were not using magic, so the onboard electronics worked despite their presence. The small yacht crew was watching television, which is how the Death Eaters learned about the disaster currently unfolding in London.

"That can't be real. It must be a trick of some kind," Nott said as they watched the nonstop BBC coverage. They all knew exact location of the Ministry of Magic, which was now nothing more than a burning hole in the ground.

"No, it is not a trick," the Stranger told them. "The escape route Lucius discovered was probably a trap set by Shacklebolt, and rather than be cut down like dogs they must have made their way down to the Department of Mysteries. Rookwood was an old Unspeakable, and he shared many secrets with his fellow Death Eaters over the years. There are several powerful artifacts hidden deep underground which could have caused that much destruction. You should all be very proud. Your fathers gave their lives to destroy our enemies. That is a fitting funeral pyre for any dark wizard."

"Who are you?" Draco asked in a dangerous tone.

The Stranger smiled. He then pulled out a glass flask and took a long drink. The features of his face began to shift and change, ultimately revealing a very familiar face.

"It can't be. You are **dead**."

"Do you honestly believe a Potion Master of my skill could be poisoned by something as banal as snake venom?"

* * *

After a quick side trip to the Dumbledore's cabin Harry returned to Hogwarts with his Pensieve and Andromeda. He needed the Pensieve because he was afraid that no one would believe him without evidence, and he needed Andromeda to advise him about the political situation. She already had several ideas about what to do next. The two of them entered the Great Hall less than an hour after Harry left seeking help from the Ministry of Magic.

"Harry, what's going on?" Neville asked. They were soon surrounded by several members of the DA. "I thought you were going to bring back some Aurors from London?"

"Neville, please tell me your grandmother is still here."

"Yeah, she is over there with few of her friends from the Wizengamot. Why?"

Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin. Clear out the Great Hall except for any members of the Wizengamot you can find. And make sure the Aurors are kept under tight guard. Hermione, stay here with me."

"What is going on?" Susan Bones asked. The Hufflepuff had perked-up at the mention of the Wizengamot, since she had inherited her late Aunt Amelia's hereditary seat.

"I know I've asked a lot from you all tonight, but please trust me for a bit longer. This is really important."

They all could hear the anguish in his voice, so the DA quickly moved to carry out his orders. A group of twenty-five witches and wizards were soon all that remained of the large crowd.

"Mr Potter, what is going on? Why haven't you returned with more Aurors? Preferable ones we can trust." Mrs Longbottom demanded. Unlike Andromeda, she looked and acted like a proper grandmother.

"There has been an... incident at the Ministry of Magic. I have no idea what happened, so I brought my Pensieve here to show you what I saw. Maybe one of you can shed some light on it. I trust you all are familiar with how a Pensieve works? This one can accommodate five people at once," Harry explained as he used his wand to remove the memory from his mind.

"You are lucky my Neville speaks so highly of you," Mrs Longbottom said in threatening tone as she selected four other witches to join her.

As they placed their heads down to view his memory, Andromeda led Harry off for a private chat. "We have a quorum. As Order of Merlin recipients you, Neville, and Hermione are automatically granted seats for life that are independent of your family seats. I will act as regent for the Blacks, but you need someone you can trust to represent the Potter family. That will bring us up to thirty members, which is enough to elect a new Minister of Magic."

The Potter family seat was one of the reason Harry had come to trust Andromeda in such a short period of time. Dumbledore had years to tell him about his legal rights and privileges as the patriarchy of a major magical family, but he never did. It would have given Harry too much freedom, and allowed him to make choices that might have interfered with the Headmaster's grand plans. He knew that Andromeda would never withhold information like that from him.

When the five Wizengamot members emerged from the Pensieve one of them actually vomited. Harry couldn't blame the poor witch. "By great Merlin, what will we do now? First the You-Know-Who returns from the dead and begins another war, and now the Ministry of Magic had been obliterated."

Harry **could** blame the witch for panicking—they were supposed to be the adults here. "His name was Tom Riddle, you idiot. Do you have any idea what could have caused something like that?"

The five witches who had seen the memory shared uneasy looks. "It is impossible, no wizard would even consider it," one of them said.

"What is impossible?" Harry asked through gritted teeth.

"Mr Potter, there are certain... artifacts located in the Department of Mysteries which are very... volatile. But I can assure you that no wizard or witch would **ever** use them. This disaster must have been caused by the muggles."

"I told you before that the Minister Shacklebolt had intelligence reports about a plot to free the Death Eater prisoners. If any of you try to use the muggles as scapegoats for this disaster, I will personally kill you." Harry spoke with such anger that everyone in earshot backed away from him.

"How the Ministry was destroyed isn't important right now. The fact that Minister Shacklebolt is dead should be our primary concern," Andromeda said. "We must move quickly to show the people that their government is still functioning. Luckily the Wizarding Wireless is down for the night, but by tomorrow morning the news will have spread throughout the country. A quorum of the Wizengamot is present in this room. I suggest that we elect a new Minister of Magic."

Slowly everyone cycled through the Pensieve. The various members of the Wizengamot broke off into smaller groups to discuss both the disaster in London and Andromeda's idea about a new election. Harry could tell by their faces that everyone was terrified by both subjects. He asked Andromeda why.

"I told you before that the obvious leaders of our country are now dead. Kingsley was young, but most people believed that he had the potential needed to be a capable Minister. With him gone we are now scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for suitable candidates. Plus some are afraid that with your popularity you might be elected, and a teenage Minister of Magic is a terrifying prospect for everyone in this room."

Neville—who had left after seeing the memory himself—finally returned with Percy of all people. "I'm sorry Harry, but both Arthur and Bill declined your offer. And Percy sort of volunteered himself. Arthur thought it was a good idea, and I couldn't say no to him after everything the Weasleys have been through today."

Percy as a member of the Wizengamot? Merlin help them all. "It's alright. It is the Potter family seat, so he can't cause too much trouble. I hope."

Harry looked over the small crowd. _So they are afraid of me_. Andromeda insisted that they had to strike now while Wizengamot members were still in a state of shock. It would leave them open to manipulation, which would allow her to maneuver their preferred candidate into office.

Harry jumped up on a table to address the members of the Wizengamot. There was no sense in wasting any more time. "I agree with Andromeda Tonks that we should elect a new Minister of Magic to provide strong leadership during this crisis." Thinking that he was going to offer himself up as a candidate, several faces turned green. "I hereby nominate Professor Horace Slughorn."

"Are you mad? We just fought a war against the self-proclaimed Heir of Slytherin. And his Death Eaters—most of whom are also members of Slytherin—just destroyed the Ministry of Magic. Now you want to elect a man who served as their Head of House for decades," one wizard said to general agreement.

Andromeda stood-up to speak. This caught everyone's attention since she had a small measure of fame in their small world. She was a daughter of the pureblood Blacks, yet she had turned her back on her heritage to marry a muggleborn wizard. Many were also aware of the terrible price she had paid for that decision during the recent war.

"If Harry Potter or anyone else associated with Dumbledore's faction were to be elected, if would divide the country once again. The war would begin again. We need someone our entire population—both Light and Dark—can trust. Someone who won't seek to impose his or her personal beliefs on the rest of the population. Someone who can provide us with the peace we so desperately need."

The debate raged on for hours, but by speaking out first Harry and Andromeda had managed to fame the choices in the minds of their fellow Wizengamot members. On one hand there was a popular professor who everyone knew and loved. If there was one thing Slughorn had, it was lots of influential friends in high society. On the other hand you had a teenager many believed was mentally unstable. After all, who in their right mind chooses to fight a duel to the death against You-Know-Who? If the Wizengamot didn't make a decision soon, the wizard on the street might try to make it for them. And that could lead to only one outcome: Minister Harry Potter.

It was better to go with the safe choice. Besides, the Professor was old, and he would only last a few years in office. So without even being asked, Slughorn became the new Minister of Magic. Harry was pleased with the outcome. With all the blackmail materiel they had on poor Horace, he wasn't going to be able to put on his shoes in the morning without first getting their permission.

* * *

As he walked through the halls of the Chateau Delacour, Draco Malfoy felt his uneasiness grow. Being an aristocrat was central to his personal identity, yet compared to the ancient splendor around him Malfoy Manor was basically a nouveau riche dump. He needed to talk to his mother about their hosts, so he entered her room without bothering to knock. That was a mistake. His mother was stark naked, and riding Professor Snape at a gallop. This spectacle was so unnerving that Draco failed to see the powerful Stunner that sent him flying out into the hallway.

"Next time knock, or it will be the Killing Curse," Snape said a few minutes later when his mother revived him.

"You could have placed a ward on the door," Draco muttered as he slowly got to his feet

"You know it is considered the height of rudeness to erect your own wards inside another wizard's home," Narcissa lectured.

"And you know that father has been dead for less than a day." That comment earned him a slap across the face.

"Your father lost what little interest he had in me after I gave him an heir. He abandoned me to pursue his other interests—which included your little girlfriend Pansy Parkinson. Severus has been my devoted lover for the past nine years."

Seeing Draco's look of astonishment Snape added: "Did you honestly think I was tutoring you in Potions and Dueling out of the goodness of my heart? Your lessons provided me with a socially acceptable reason to visit Malfoy Manor. This subject is closed. **Forever**. Now why are you here?"

Draco was furious with his mother's scandalous behavior, and he wasn't about to let this subject drop. But he also knew Snape wasn't joking about the Killing Curse, so he asked his original question: "This whole plan—coming to France—does it have any chance of really working. Or are we to become nothing more than permanent exiles?"

"If the Ministry of Magic hadn't been destroyed this plan would have had no chance of success," Snape replied bluntly. "But given the fact that the Ministry has been destroyed, we might be able to take back our country with the help of France and the Empire. We have Pius Thicknesse here with us, so we can claim that he is the legitimate Minister of Magic. Much will depend on who they chose as Shacklebolt's replacement."

"It will just be another one of Dumbledore's toadies," Draco sneered. Then his normally pale face went bone white. "Do you think they will chose Potter?"

"We should be so lucky. Anyone who spends five minutes with Potter knows that he is a muggle-lover to the core. And that is exactly that our new friends here on the Continent fear the most."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

_I remember when it all went wrong_, Prime Minister Tony Blair thought as he looked down at the giant smoking hole in the center of London. He had just won a crushing victory over the Conservatives in the Parliamentary elections, and he was paying a visit to Number 10, Downing Street to have a word with his predecessor John Major.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this Tony, but the situation in the country is far worse than you can imagine," Major told him. "I would like to tell you more about it, but you wouldn't believe me. Not in a million years. So I will just tell you to watch that portrait over there in the corner."

At first the Prime Minister thought it was some kind of practical joke, a sort of hazing for the new man in the big chair. But then the portrait spoke during his first week in office, and someone jumped out of the fireplace. Rufus Scrimgeour spent several minutes tying to convince him that magic was real. Finally the Minister of Magic transformed his desk into a grizzly bear. A very angry grizzly bear.

Then came the horror story. The UK had a magical Hitler—or maybe it was a magical Pol Pot—running around the countryside killing people. And the only one who could stop him was a teenage boy named Harry Potter. Blair also learned that his new secretary Kingsley Shacklebolt was actually his magical bodyguard. Shacklebolt gladly answered the dozens of questions the Prime Minister had over the next few weeks until he disappeared without warning. Losing one's bodyguard is never a good sign.

Then a new Minister of Magic—Pius Thicknesse—showed up and said the current crisis had passed. He left without saying another word, but the unexplained deaths and disasters just continued to get worse. Things were so bad that Blair took the risk of sounding insane by asking the American President if he knew anything about magic. President Clinton told him that Voldemort was now in control the United Kingdom's magical population. The President wanted to help, but his wizards and witches were strict isolationists, and they refused to get involved in the other countries' internal affairs. This wasn't what he had climbed the greasy pole of politics his entire life for.

Luckily Shacklebolt reappeared in the spring. Voldemort was dead, and Kingsley had been selected as the new Minister of Magic. All's well that ends well—at least until today. Today he had another disaster on his hands, and again it was these damned wizards who had caused it.

The Prime Minister broke free from his dark thoughts and turned around to find the entire roof was deserted. There had been over a dozen staffers and security guards with him just a few minutes ago, but now they were gone. Then two people appeared out of nowhere, one an elderly gentleman and the other a teenager. Wizards—just seeing them if the flesh again filled him with an uncontrollable rage.

"What is going on? Where is Shacklebolt?" It had been some time since Blair had been this out of control. The elderly wizard pulled out his wand and hit him with some sort of laser beam. At once he felt much calmer. "What did you just do to me?"

"Sorry Tony—may I call you Tony? I'm afraid that spell was necessary to relax you because we have some bad news to share with you. Kingsley Shacklebolt is dead. We believe that he was down there when the Ministry of Magic collapsed. I'm the new Minister by the way, Professor Horace Slughorn. It's too bad we couldn't have met under better circumstances. Oh yes, this is Harry Potter. He killed the Dark Lord we've been having so much trouble with these last few months."

Blair suspected that the old wizard was senile. He was acting as if they were at a dinner party, not in the middle of a national emergency. "Your Ministry of Magic collapsed in on itself? Why?"

"We were holding Voldemort's followers down there, and they tried to escape," Potter answered "We think they caused a massive explosion rather than be taken alive."

"I didn't ask you." At once the Prime Minister regretted his words, because the boy's green eyes actually began to glow as if he was some sort of demon. Then he remembered that Potter was a teenage assassin. "I apologize. It has been a long day."

Blair looked over at Minister Slughorn, and was shocked to see that the old man was also terrified of Potter. _Great, we have just traded one insane wizard for a younger insane wizard_. "What does your Ministry of Magic plan to do next?"

"Well, the Wizengamot hasn't made any firm plans just yet, but rest assured we are working on it."

This Slughorn was a backbencher for sure, and he clearly wasn't up for his new job. _Well I bloody well am_, Blair thought to himself.

"Before he died, Shacklebolt told me that you had three major institutions located here in London. The Ministry of Magic itself, a magical High Street, and a magical hospital. Is that correct?" He received two nods. "Well, I want the High Street and the hospital moved out of London at once. Your magic school located in the Highlands. Moved everything up there—far away from the Untied Kingdom's major population centers."

"Tony my boy, be reasonable..."

"I am the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and your **superior**. This explosion took place underground, so its effects were limited. However if the your High Street is targeted, the destruction could spill over into half of the city. And I don't want to imagine what kind of horrors a magical plague could cause if your hospital is hit next. The London metropolitan area has a population of over twelve million souls, and I will not place them at risk because of your stupid little war. So the High Street and hospital must both go. You will carry out my orders immediately, or I will have the military deal with you. There are several squib officers who have been drawing-up contingency plans during the past few months, and I will order them to attack if your lot continues to disrupt this country. Am I making myself clear Horace?"

"Yes, Prime Minister."

* * *

"Who does this muggle think he is? I have half a mind to go down to London, and teach him to respect his betters."

To say the Wizengamot was unhappy with the Prime Minister's demands would be a bit of an understatement. They were meeting in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, their new temporary home.

"You are going to teach the Prime Minster of the United Kingdom a lesson? You do all know what a nuclear weapon is, don't you?" Hermione asked in a polite voice. Having a muggleborn seated among them was another problem for the reactionary members of the Wizengamot, but her question was impossible to ignore. For Hermione had just said the magic words: nuclear weapons.

Two accidents of history explained the United Kingdom's importance in the magical world. First it was the birthplace of Merlin, the greatest wizard who ever live. Second was the fact that its muggles had created the British Empire. As the Empire expanded, so too had the power of the British Ministry of Magic. That had all change with the war against the Dark Lord Grindelwald.

If Grindelwald has stay within the borders of his home country, there would have been no war against him. But he broke the one rule all wizards respected: he began invading other countries—several of them in fact. This lead to a creation of a coalition to fight against him which including the colonies of the Empire like Canada, South Africa, and Australia as well as the independent United States of America. While Dumbledore may have personally captured Grindelwald, wizards from around the world fought against his many rabid followers.

After the war was over the colonies revolted against the British Ministry of Magic. They had fought and bled as much as anyone, yet the purebloods of Europe had treated them little better than house-elves. Under normal circumstances these uprisings could have been put down, but for once the United States ignored its isolationist policy and decided to back the revolutionaries. And the United States had nuclear weapons.

It is impossible to overstate the fear these weapons caused in the magical world. Regular bombs had been bad enough, but now entire cities could be obliterated in a matter of seconds. No wards ever created could protect them from this overwhelming threat. Rather than face a war with the United States and their terrible weapons, the British Ministry of Magic had allowed the colonies to declare their independence.

Hermione had just brought up a very painful subject—their continuing weakness in comparison with the muggles. It was one of the unspoken reasons why Voldemort had gained such wide-spread support. People knew he was dangerous, but they hoped that he would use his Dark Magic against the muggles. For most wizards and witches the muggles would always be the real threat. But Voldemort had fallen to a mere boy, and here they were: still weak.

Andromeda knew this history as well as anyone. Ted had often said that the world she was born into was a provincial backwater with no future. It was the reason she had married him and lived her adult life in the muggle world. But to rub these unpleasant facts in the face of the Wizengamot right now wasn't going to solve their many problems.

"Even if we wanted to rebuild the Ministry in London, we simply couldn't afford it," Andromeda explained. Minister Slughorn had been **persuaded** to appoint her as the magical Chancellor of the Exchequer, so she now had control over the finances of the Ministry of Magic. And the effects of the recent war had left those finances in a very sorry state. "Plus the costs would triple if we tried to hide its construction from the muggles. Rebuilding here in Hogsmeade would be a more economical option."

"That may be true, but what about St Mungo's? We must have a new Ministry, so moving the hospital to Hogsmeade is simply out of the question," said another reactionary witch. There were more a few of them, even in this smaller Wizengamot.

"No, it's not out of the question." Harry hadn't spoken at any meeting since he nominated Horace Slughorn, so his words provoked a great deal of curiosity. "When I first went to St Mungo's a few years ago I was appalled. The building was old and rundown—and it kind of smelled too. Yet it's supposed to be the premier hospital for our entire country. How can we expect sick patients to recover in such a lousy environment? I say we build a new hospital, one worthy of our great people."

"A noble sentiment Mr Potter, but the question is how to pay for it."

"I will pay for it," Harry replied. Andromeda had told the boy this was a bad idea, but the blood money they had acquired from Tom Riddle's Vault was burning a hole in his Mokeskin pouch. "I'm willing to donate five million galleons to fund the construction of the new Lily Evans Hospital right here in Hogsmeade."

Using the Potter name seemed in poor taste, so Harry chose his mother's maiden name instead. After all, she was the one who first defeated Voldemort. Everyone was stunned by his announcement, but then Augusta Longbottom stood up and began to clap. First Neville, then Hermione, and finally the entire Wizengamot joined her in giving him a standing ovation. It was all very embarrassing for Harry. He claimed that he just wanted to do the right thing, whatever that was suppose to mean.

With those two obstacles out of the way, the debate turned to the subject of Diagon Alley. Andromeda pointed out that the store owners could pay for their relocation themselves unless they wanted to go bankrupt. As for Knockturn Alley—well, the Wizengamot was actually hoping that most those stores would go bankrupt. Gringotts never came up for debate. No wizard or witch was stupid enough to try and tell the Goblins how to run their affairs. They would either move their bank or they wouldn't, and there was nothing anyone else could do about it.

* * *

That night Harry was laying on the floor of the Dumbledore's cabin with a sleeping Teddy resting on his chest, while Andromeda gently brushed Luna's hair. She taken an interest in the younger witch's appearance since they were all living together under one roof. Luna adored the physical contact, and Harry couldn't stop watching. At times toying with the pair of them was almost too easy.

Beatrice was on the sofa quietly talking to Lisa Turpin as Hermione nervously looked on. This new relationship had caught Harry totally off guard. The fact was that his best friend had a whole separate life while they attended Hogwarts together. She had taken Ancient Runes and Arithmancy for several years without Harry, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that she had other friends who shared her intellectual interests. And **other** interests as well, in the case of Miss Turpin.

Apparently Hermione's father Richard had been a strong believer in the sanctity of marriage, and he had made a powerful impression on his young daughter. Because of that, Hermione had latched on Ron Weasley in an effort to win his approval. Then her father the hypocrite ran off with a buxom dental hygienist, and suddenly his approval didn't seem so important anymore. Factor in the trauma of the war, and Hermione Granger decided she had been suppressing her true feelings long enough.

"I'm curious Harry, are you planning on giving away everything that you have inherited?" Andromeda asked. "Is there going to be anything left for Teddy and your other children by the time you're done?"

"Harry, don't listen to her," Beatrice said. "What you did today was wonderful, and if anyone ever says otherwise just ignore them."

"I've told you before, the Lily Evans Hospital and the Wizarding Wireless are the only projects I plan on funding for the foreseeable future."

Harry had surprised many last week when he bought the Wizarding Wireless. The magical technology behind the Wireless had been developed back in the fifties by a wizard named Jay Hubbard. It had proven to be so profitable that Hubbard and this family moved to a private island in the Caribbean. As absentee owners they hadn't put any real effort into improving the business, and the Wireless had remained largely unchanged over the years.

Being based outside of the country the owners didn't put up much a fight when Voldemort decided he wanted to control the Wireless during the war. After this unpleasant experience the family was eager to accept Harry's buyout offer. What good is owning a profitable business if the Ministry of Magic or a Dark Lord could seize control of it anytime they want to?

"Speaking of the Wireless: Hermione, have you given any more thought to my job offer?"

"I don't know. One of the best things about the magical world is that there aren't any televisions, and now you want to develop a magical version of one. Aren't we better off without them?"

"Why do you have to create a magic television? Why not just adapt a normal one so you can use it around magic?" Beatrice asked.

"If we just borrow the technology from the muggles then our society will continue to stagnate," Harry replied "We need to make our own advances using our own methods. We have the Wireless, Omnioculars, and two-way mirrors so the magical technology does exist. We just have to bring the pieces together and make them work as a seamless whole. And if anyone can do that, it's Hermione."

"Besides, I know you are fascinated by computers and this new Internet the muggles have developed," Lisa added. "If you want to create magical equivalents, then this is a logical first step."

"I will give it some serious thought after we are done with our NEWTs. That reminds me, we really should be studying."

With that the two witches left hand-in-hand. Harry's eyes followed them down the hallway. Neither witch was a great beautiful, but they were both cute in a brainy sort-of-way. And thought of what they were doing behind closed doors had the boy's imagination flying about like a Golden Snitch.

"So that is what they are calling it these days: studying for your NEWTs," Beatrice said with a knowing smile as she picked-up Teddy. "I will put this stinker to bed. Have a good night."

Harry's eyes drifted back towards his young wife. Andromeda was still brushing Luna's long blonde hair, but her free hand was slowly roaming over the girl's slim neck. The sexual tension in the air was thick and growing at an exponential rate. She briefly wondered how much longer the newlyweds were going to last before their clothes started to magically disappear.

"Andromeda, would you like to help us study for our NEWTs?"

"Luna Potter!" Harry yelled.

"What? You know you want to her to join us, and so do I."

Andromeda wondered about that. Oh, she knew Harry was still interested. She often saw the naked lust when he looked in her direction. Even though he had a nubile wife the boy still wanted her too. But she honestly didn't know if her seduction of Luna had been successful or not. Perhaps she was only going along with this to please her new husband. There was only one to find out, so Andromeda lead them both upstairs to master bedroom. It had been a long time since her nights with Livia Rosier in the Slytherin dorms, but there were certain lessons you never forgot.

* * *

For his NEWTs Harry decided to take a minimalist approach. Unlike the witches, he only took the exams for DADA, Charms, and Transfiguration. Hermione had raged that he was being even lazier than Ron and wasting his potential, but the three Exceeds Expectations he earned were enough. He had killed a Dark Lord—what more did he have to prove?

Of course the geniuses earned perfect O's in all of their far more numerous NEWTs. Hermione was amazed that Luna did so well in Muggle Studies, but as his wife pointed out she had traveled the world with her father during their various Snorkack expeditions. Both Hermione and Lisa took him up on his offer to work at the Wireless. The pay was excellent, and the research budget they had to work with was a sizable one. Luna joined her father at the Quibbler—since the end of the war it had become semi-respectable.

Harry didn't have the luxury of a job hunt though. He was drafted. The new Head of Magical Law Enforcement, John Dawlish, and the new Head Auror, Jim Savage, had asked for a meeting a few days after the NEWTs were finally over.

"Potter, here is your badge," Dawlish told him. "Minister Slughorn has already signed-off on this."

If Slughorn knew about this, it meant that Andromeda knew about this. And she approved of the whole scam in advance. _I going to kill her_, Harry thought.

Head Auror Savage was a bit more sympathetic to his plight. "Look Potter, after everything you have done for us we know that we aren't being fair to you. But the Aurors have been decimated by the war and the loss of the Ministry of Magic. Not to mention the fact that the few of us left are of questionable loyalty. We need an enforcer to keep everyone in line—to stop any coup d'état before it starts. You're the only one powerful enough to inspire the necessary amount of fear. It will only be for a few months. After that you can resign, and get on with the rest of your life."

Just a few months. Somehow Harry doubted it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

Narcissa Black. Narcissa Malfoy. Narcissa Snape. She had actually gotten down on her knees and prayed to the spirit of the great Merlin: please let it be different this time. Her childhood had been so cold. There were good memories, but they were far outweighed by the painful ones. When Lucius walked into her life she thought he was a prince, so handsome and full of life. Or so he had seemed at first. She learned the truth soon enough, but by then it was too late to make any difference. That wretched wizard had even corrupted the one source of joy in her life, Draco.

Now she was risking Severus' life again to protect her son. No one ever claimed Severus Snape was handsome or full of life, but she had come to love him just the same. His debt to Lily's memory had finally been paid in full, and now he was free to return her feelings. When she told him of the pregnancy he insisted that they marry at once. With his new job waiting for him in Rome, they were as happy as two middle-aged people could be. But she still couldn't abandon Draco, no matter how much the brat deserved it.

"You know what kind of villains these wizards are Severus. They might lack the Dark Lord's power, but they also lack his insanity. By the time this meeting is over Draco and Theodore will have signed over not only the future of our country, but their souls as well. We must be there to provide them with some measure of protection," Narcissa begged.

"Did I not take an Unbreakable Vow to protect your son from the Dark Lord himself? Did I not free him from the Ministry of Magic only minutes before its destruction?"

"Yes, you did, and I have no right to ask anything else of you. But I will anyway. My future belongs to you, but please protect Draco just this one last time. If he persists in this folly, we will wash our hands of him. He is an adult now, it will be his choice."

"You do know we will be making some powerful enemies if we interfere?"

"Severus, I'm just as sick of all this scheming as you are, but Draco **must** see these wizards for what they truly are."

"Very well. We will accompany your son to this meeting, but nothing more. And above all else, we will never set foot in the United Kingdom again."

That night Severus and Narcissa Snape joined Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott as they made their way to the parlor of the Chateau Delacour. There they were met by the Ambassador of the Spanish Empire, Jose Antonio. He was tall and handsome, with perfect robes to match his perfect manners. Just being in the same room with him made Narcissa's skin crawl.

"Our host will be joining us shortly," the Ambassador told them.

Unlike the fools in their own Ministry of Magic, the Spanish had wisely sat out the war against the Dark Lord Grindelwald. Because of that they still controlled their Empire, which included all of South America excluding Brazil. Maintaining control of those nations despite the independence of their muggles hadn't been easy, but the purebloods of Spain had managed it by means of harsh oppression. It was universally accepted that their Empire was one of the superpowers of the magical world.

France was not quite as powerful as the Empire, but they were still respected and feared by many. They had cut their own deal with Grindelwald, and as a result they kept their magical colonies in North and West Africa. They were also longtime rivals of the United Kingdom. Just like their muggle counterparts, the wizards of France and Britain had faced each other hundreds of times on the battlefield over the past thousand years. Now they claimed they only wanted to help.

"I trust you have heard the news, that your muggle government has ordered the Pretenders to leave London at once," Ambassador Antonio told them. His cultured tone clearly expressed his contempt at the idea of a muggle ordering a wizard to do anything. The Empire was run by and for pureblood extremists, with no concern at all for what the muggles wanted. France was the same.

"Yes, our sources agree that Slughorn was given an ultimatum, and that the Pretenders are running all the way back to Hogsmeade with their tails between their legs," Draco replied.

The **Pretenders**—that is what everyone here in France called the Slughorn Ministry. They also refer to Pius Thicknesse as the true Minister of Magic. Narcissa wondered how anyone could manage to say Minister Thicknesse without bursting out into laughter. They even had their own Wizengamot here on the Continent, and it was filled to the brim with pureblood extremists.

"What do you intend to do about the situation, young Draco Malfoy?" the Ambassador asked.

"I would like to know that as well," Leon Delacour asked as he sat down. It appeared that the ugly little master of the Chateau had finally returned home. "I apologized for my lateness. Please tell us about your plans for the future."

"Since the muggle-loving Pretenders were good enough to abandoned the capital, I see no reason why the True Ministry shouldn't return home to reclaim it at once," Draco answered.

Delacour gave him a patronizing smile. "Your Ministry of Magic is gone. If you plan to return to London and rebuild, the muggles will find out about it soon enough. They will attack, and trust me muggles are quite skilled at violence—if nothing else."

"There is also the question of who will provide the funds for this rebuilding program," Ambassador Antonio added.

That comment made Draco and Theodore visibly nervous. The only reason they were currently in positions of leadership was because they lead two of the wealthiest families among the Exiles. But paying for a war could easily bankrupt them both, and they would only recoup those galleons if their foolish crusade was a success. That is why many older and wiser wizards had stepped aside, and allowed the two teenagers to assume these so-called leadership roles.

Narcissa knew what was coming next. "I will gladly pledge my entire fortune to the cause of once again purifying my homeland," Draco proclaimed. Her son, the idiot. Theodore Nott quickly agreed to do the same, since he was too ambitious to let his rival take all the credit.

"If that is the case, then our governments would be wiling to make certain loans available if you need any further resources," Delacour said.

Loans with high interest rates that will have to be repaid as soon as possible. Those galleons will have to come from higher taxes paid for with the sweat and blood of the average wizard. _Not that any of these bastards gives a damn_, she thought. Severus was right: these two were hopeless. But at least she should make some effort at helping them.

"What about providing the manpower that will be needed," Narcissa asked. "The numbers of Exiles is simply too small to retake our country by force. Will your governments be willing to risk the backlash of spending foreign Aurors into the Untied Kingdom?"

"Please mother, we are quite capable of handling this situation on our own," Draco said as he give her an irritated glare.

"No Draco, you are not capable of handling this on your own." Yes, they were certainly making enemies on all sides tonight. "Well, can we expect the support of your two great countries in the form of Aurors, or do you plan to offer only empty promises? I imagine that for all your talk, France and the Empire are simply too afraid of the possible consequences of becoming directly involved."

"Are you calling me a coward?" Ambassador Antonio demanded.

"No, she is not," Severus said calmly. "But I am."

Delacour quickly stepped-in. It would not do to have the Spanish Ambassador killed in his parlor. And **that** would be the only possible outcome of duel between her husband and this ridiculous strutting peacock.

"Please gentlemen," Delacour said. "To answer your question: yes, we willing to provide Aurors—if it proves necessary."

More vague promises of aid soon followed, and Draco gladly swallowed them all despite their lack of worth. Delacour and Antonio now had her son pegged. They knew Draco saw himself as a great pureblood conqueror who would crush his enemies and rule with an iron fist. That suited their interests perfectly. France and the Spanish Empire needed to destabilize the Slughorn Ministry, since it was threatening to strip the purebloods of their hereditary power. If a more egalitarian government arose in the United Kingdom, their oppressed subjects might also be inspired to revolt. That could not be allowed to happen.

_The Dark Lord had his faults, but at least he was willing to get his own hands dirty once in a while—not like these two parasite_s, Narcissa thought. She now realized that Draco was too far gone for them to help. Hopefully she won't make the same mistakes with her next child.

* * *

"All right everyone: shut-up and pay attention," Head Auror Savage told his troops. They were all gathered at the now-closed Leaky Cauldron in preparation for today's mission. "As you know we'll be serving evictions notices to the store owners in Knockturn Alley who have refused to leave. They know we're coming, so we have to assume that they will be putting up some kind of fight. Given how narrow and dark Knockturn Alley is, this could easily spin out-of-control. As our strongest wand, Potter will be on point for this operation."

Harry took a deep breath and stood up. "These owners are already in violation of the law. If they attack you—if they even raise their wands in your general direction—you have Minister Slughorn's authorization to use lethal force to protect yourselves and your fellow Aurors. Is that perfectly clear for everyone?" His announcement received a healthy round of applause.

"You're a natural Harry, And to think you didn't want this job," Professor Longbottom joked later as they were giving their dragon-skin armor one last check. Now that Headmistress Sprout wasn't teaching anymore a new Herbology Professor was needed, and Neville's NEWT results had earned him the job. (Well, that and his new Order of Merlin, First Class.) Even with classes starting soon Neville still trained with the Aurors several times a week, and he had volunteered to come along on this mission.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Ron moaned.

While his NEWTs weren't really up to speed, Harry had gotten his friend into the Aurors as part of his attempt to mend fences with the Weasleys. After Molly's funeral they both had a long talk. Ron now realized that Hermione was with Lisa, which really didn't bother him that much. Being a young and handsome war hero was a lot more fun without a girlfriend around to nag you all the time.

Ron also accepted the fact that Harry's marriage to Luna had nothing to do with his sister. Being a spoiled princess Ginny didn't see it that way, and she had let him know it during several very public arguments. Harry was relieved when she left for France with Bill and Fleur a few weeks ago. The little witch had decided to attend Beauxbatons for her seventh year of school. It was a good thing too, because if Ginny had stayed at Hogwarts it would have been a toss-up as to who would have killed her first: Luna or Andromeda.

It had gone better with the remaining Weasleys. Charlie had never blamed Harry for his mother's death and they parted on good terms. George had been at a loss after Fred's death, and wasn't interested in reopening the joke shop. So Harry offered him a job at the Wireless lab, and the thought of inventing more useful products appealed to him. Working together with several of the muggleborns Hermione had hired, the new lab had already produced a crude prototype of a magical television, and they were working on refining it into something they could sell to public. Hermione had several more ideas she wanted to pursue, and George seemed less depressed now that he was working again.

Harry also ended-up giving Mr Weasley a job. With the loss of both his wife and a son everyone was worried about how well he would cope. It didn't look good when Arthur informed his remaining family that he had no intention of returning to his old job at the Ministry of Magic. Instead he had applied to be a newsreader for the Wireless. Harry had to admit that he had the voice of the common wizard down pat, and was proving to be popular with his listeners.

Percy was the real surprise though. He loved being a member of the Wizengamot, and very much supported the progressive agenda Andromeda and Harry wanted to pursue. He was also acting as Slughorn's chief-of-staff, and was doing an excellent job there as well. Andromeda said he had a rare gift for paperwork, more so than anyone else at the new Ministry of Magic.

"You aren't going to be sick Ron," Harry said. "You and the other rookies are here as reserves, so hopefully you won't see any action."

Savage soon ordered them to move-out, and they began the short walk towards Knockturn Ally. The idea was to give out the evictions notices by hand so that there would be no cause for lawsuits that could drag this mess out for months in the Wizengamot. If the store owners received the proper legal notification from Ministry of Magic, then their lawyers won't have a leg to stand on. However the plan quickly fell apart. As soon as they walked into sight the holdouts they began cursing him.

Harry conferred with Savage behind a Shield Charm. "Screw this, they had their chance. I say we form a Turtle."

"That is a bit extreme, don't you think? There will be a massive amount of casualties, and some innocent civilians are bound to be caught in the crossfire."

"There are no innocents civilians living in Knockturn Alley," Harry replied coldly. "Not today."

Savage gave the order, and the men formed up. The Turtle was an ancient battlefield tactic, but one that had fallen out of favor with modern wizards. It was a series of overlapping Shield Charms which formed a protective shell. The wizards inside would drop a random Shield Charm, return fire, and then quickly replace the Shield Charm. Since the position of the hole kept rotating, your opponents didn't know where to aim their spells. You couldn't really aim your spells from inside the Turtle either, so the tactic often caused too much indiscriminate destruction for the muggles to ignore.

Of course indiscriminate destruction is exactly what Harry had in mind. After only a few minutes the old and worn-out buildings began to collapse under the weight of all the destructive spells. Some of the shop owners attempted to surrender, but the Aurors ignored them and kept casting in every direction. After twenty minutes nothing in Knockturn Ally was left standing. Everyone knew that this was payback for the destruction of the Ministry of Magic. There were few Aurors who hadn't lost someone they loved in that disaster, or during brutal war which preceded it.

Harry was overseeing the cleanup when Andromeda appeared beside him from under his Invisibility Cloak. "Survivors?" she asked after casting a Privacy Ward.

"None. That was the idea wasn't it? That's why you arranged for us to have legal authorization to use deadly force. Gather all our potential enemies together in one spot, and eliminate them as quickly as possible."

"If it were only that easy. We have to pay the Prime Minister a visit to explain all this." After their miserable first meeting, Slughorn had delegated the task of dealing with the muggle Prime Minister to his magical Chancellor of the Exchequer—at Andromeda's insistence.

"He really doesn't like me."

"I know, and that's why I want you to come with me," she said with a smile. With quiet pop Harry took them across London to Number 10, Downing Street. The Prime Minister was having a quiet meal with his wife then they suddenly appeared in his bedroom.

"Oh, these are the wizards you told me about," Cherie Blair remarked. She sounded like she was discussing a pair of exotic zoo animals.

Andromeda quickly stunned her. "You were told to keep our existence a secret."

"I tell my wife everything," Blair snapped. "Will she be alright?"

"The effects of the spell will fade in an hour."

"Why are you here?"

Harry started to give his report. "In accordance with your orders, St Mungo's Hospital was closed last week. Diagon Alley is also empty, and today we just cleaned out Knockturn Alley. London should be free of any magical infestation by the end of the day."

Blair knew he was being mocked, but a certain detail caught his attention. "What did you mean by **cleaned out**?"

"Several of the store owners in Knockturn Alley were unwilling to coöperate with the Ministry of Magic, and instead chose to attack the Aurors," Harry explained.

"Do you arrest them?"

"No, we returned fire. There were no prisoners taken."

"My God! How many were killed?" Blair asked. He was clearly horrified by the news.

"We'll send you a report when we get the final numbers, but that's not important right now." Andromeda wanted to hit the Prime Minister with the reports from France while he was off-balance, and she wasn't going to get a better opportunity than this. "It appears the Death Eaters who escaped have formed a government-in-exile based in France. They plan to invade the country, but we haven't discover any firm dates on when that will happen."

"Are you actually telling me that France is harboring a magical terrorist group that is planning to invade the United Kingdom?"

"The magical French government is—not the muggle government that you are familiar with. The French Revolution never reached the magical world, so France is still run by aristocratic wizards. A nasty bunch, almost as bad as our Dark Lord was. We also think they are receiving support from the Spanish Empire, which is another aristocratic government you definitely want to avoid. You could attempt to contact your muggle counterparts in those two countries, but I doubt they will be able to do anything about the situation."

"Well what can **we** do about it?" All this new information was too overwhelming for the Prime Minister. He needed advice. Advice that Andromeda was happy to provide.

"Nothing for now. The exiles are more Bonnie Prince Charlie than King Billy at the moment. As long as we don't attack them the international magical community will continue to support us. If they are planning an invasion, we want them to be the clear aggressors. In the meantime we should continue to strengthen our forces, and deal with internal threats like the one in Knockturn Alley today. You do want us to be ready for any threats we might have to face in the future, don't you Prime Minister?"

Andromeda's threat was subtle, but not too subtle: let the matter of the deaths in Knockturn Alley drop or else. The Aurors had been carrying out the very orders the Prime Minister had given to Minister Slughorn. If any war crimes had been committed, then Tony Blair could be held personal accountable for them in a court of law—if he decided to press the issue.

"Yes, of course. Do what you must."

Once they were back under the Invisibility Cloak Andromeda turned to Harry and whispered: "You know, I've always had this fantasy about the Cabinet Room they have here at Downing Street. It has this huge table right in the middle of the room, and I happen to know that Luna is there waiting for us."

Harry just grinned as he wrapped his arm around her slim waist.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

Two days ago Harry Potter lead the Aurors into a major battle at Knockturn Alley, and he hadn't been nervous at all. Today he was going to speak before a crowd of old farts at the opening of the Lily Evans Hospital in Hogsmeade, and he was a total wreck.

Even Luna was having trouble calming him down. As she did every morning, Luna mounted him as soon as her eyes were opened. (Some mornings she managed it even **before** her eyes were open.) But instead of relaxing her husband like she normally did, the tiny bump on her stomach was kind of freaking him out.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, the Healers have told you several times that sex wouldn't hurt little Hedwig. So get on with it." Andromeda enjoyed critiquing his performance at times like this. Harry didn't think he would ever forget that she said the first time the three of them were together: _I must say, I've seen house-elves with better technique_.

"Don't worry," Luna whispered. "Hedwig will be perfectly fine."

"Yes, expect for the fact that you agreed to name the poor witch after a dead owl," Andromeda deadpanned.

Neither Harry or Luna stopped what they were doing, but they both turned to look at her. "Nymphadora."

"It was a family name!"

* * *

Despite all the changes in their lives, Harry and his new family had managed to keep the existence of Dumbledore's cabin a secret from the public. Everyday they entered Hogsmeade through the Floo located in Hermione's lab at the Wizarding Wireless. To improve his lousy exits, Andromeda had Harry carry little Teddy in his arms.

"Either learn to use a Floo properly, or you will send your poor godson flying across the room."

Hermione thought that this teaching method was barbaric, but it worked. Harry could now exit the Floo with a grace of a dancer. Today he found Neville and Ron waiting for them at the lab. They had volunteered to act as bodyguards/babysitters for Teddy during his big speech at the hospital.

"You two look awful," Luna said with her usual amount of tact. "Were you out drinking and whoring with Dean and Seamus last night?"

One of the more surprising effects of the war was that it turned the formerly shy Neville Longbottom into a randy lion. He had started off with Susan and Hannah, and he hadn't stopped all summer. Rumor had it that he had even reached the Holy Grail of every male student at Hogwarts and bedded Madam Rosmerta. The other three were just as bad, if less successful. In fact Andromeda said that Neville, Dean, Seamus, and Ron were the four biggest man-whores she had seen since the Marauders.

That statement had shocked Harry. "_But I thought my dad was in love with my mum right from the moment he met her on the Hogwarts Express,_" he had asked.

"_Oh, James did fall hard for Lily, but that didn't stop him from getting as many witches into as many broom closets as he could manage_," Andromeda had explained. "_He had to keep up with Sirius, who was a dog in every sense of the word—which included a tendency to lick himself whenever possible. __Peter might have been a traitor, but he deserved his Order of Merlin considering some of the homely witches Sirius set him up with._"

Harry knew it was a sore subject, but he had to ask. "_And Remus_?"

"_He was the worst of the lot. No witch at Hogwarts had any illusions about the other three, but Remus played up that whole **sensitive-intellectual** nonsense. His girlfriends tended to fall in love with him. Then the bastard dumped them, and moved on to his next victim_."

Yes, Andromeda still hated her dead son-in-law. Harry wanted to defend his memory, but then he remembered how Remus had tried to abandoned Nymphadora and Teddy during the war. And how he had stayed away from Little Whinging during Harry's miserable childhood.

"Luna, we were not out whoring," Neville said in a vain attempt to defend his reputation.

Of course Ron went ahead and stuck his foot in his mouth. "Yeah, we never have to pay. Not even for the Firewhiskey." Hermione and Lisa just rolled their eyes.

As they made their way through the old building that housed the Wizarding Wireless, several of the employees came up to say hello to their young employer. Harry was spending a huge amount of galleons to upgrade the business, which made him very popular with the rank in file. The whole company was going to move into a new building on the other side of the village when they could finally hire a building firm.

The magical builders were booked solid thanks to the boom in new construction taking place here in Hogsmeade Of course the Lily Evans Hospital and then the Ministry of Magic had top priority, but there was also the transplants from Diagon Alley to consider. Many of the owners wanted to build new homes near their new stores. The unemployment that many had suffered through during the war was a thing of the past, and the magical economy was thriving.

Harry felt a surge of pride as they made their way towards St Lily's—as many were already calling the new hospital. Since the new Ministry of Magic was still under construction the hospital was still the tallest building in Hogsmeade. The only reason it was finished so quickly was because St Lily's was an exact copy of a magical hospital that had been built in Toronto, Canada just six years ago. When the Canadian Ministry of Magic discovered the jam their British cousins were in they provided the detailed blueprints free of charge. Combine that with magic, and you had a new hospital finished less than two months.

When she had first heard about the Prime Minister's orders, Andromeda thought the Healers would put up a fierce fight to keep St Mungo's. But Harry had been right: the majority of them considered the place an antiquated dump, and they were eager to finally have a proper hospital to work in. Especially if they were getting it for free. The Healers had spent the past few weeks using the Hogwarts Infirmary as a transition area, and the grand opening would finally take place today.

Speaking of their helpful cousins: Harry saw the Canadian Ambassador Benton Fraser headed their way. All the women in his group began straightening out their clothes and checking their hair when they saw him—even Hermione and Lisa. The Ambassador was handsome and courteous, but not overly familiar. The combination melted even Andromeda's hard outer shell, much to Harry's disgust.

Ambassador Fraser's arrival in Hogsmeade had been one of the few positive developments for the Slughorn's Ministry in the area of foreign relations. Canada had been the first magical country to officially recognize their government, and they had also signed an important free trade agreement with the United Kingdom. But as of now few other countries were willing to follow their lead. Most didn't want to get involved in what they still saw as a civil war.

"Chancellor Tonks, Auror Potter. If I could have a word with you both. I'm afraid my government has received some rather disturbing information."

After casting a Privacy Ward Ambassador Fraser removed an official-looking parchment from his dress robe. "This came from the International Confederation of Wizards last night. As you know your country was not had a proper representative to the ICW since Albus Dumbledore's untimely death over a year ago, so the... Exiles in France are attempting to have a witch called Delores Umbridge accepted as his permanent replacement."

While International Confederation of Wizards was its official name, in truth the organization should have been called the European Confederation of Pureblood Wizards. It was bad enough that countries like Luxemburg and Belgium had the same voting rights as Japan or the United States, but the ICW was even more heavily weighted towards Europe. Microstates like Liechtenstein, Andorra and San Marino each had votes of their own, and all of them were tightly controlled by the purebloods. The bureaucracy based in Switzerland was also staffed by European purebloods who perverted the day-to-day operations of the ICW in subtle ways to promote their racist agenda.

If it wasn't for the need to enforce the International Statute of Secrecy, many counties outside of Europe would have abandon the ICW a long time ago. Still, it was an important source of legitimacy, one they couldn't just hand over to the bloody Exiles.

"If other countries don't want to interfere in our internal affairs, then how do the Exiles hoped to swing this vote their way?" Harry asked.

"I believe they are hoping that the... events which took place in Diagon Alley will influence enough of the ICW members enough to win them the vote." The normal confident Ambassador looked uncertain for a moment. "I"m afraid certain international newspapers have begun referring to it as the **Diagon Alley Massacre**. They are painting a rather damning portrait of your actions."

"When is the vote scheduled?" Andromeda asked.

"Next Tuesday."

"Can you get us permission to enter Switzerland that quickly?"

Harry really didn't like there Andromeda was going with this.

"Yes, I believe that can be arraigned," Ambassador Fraser said with warm smile. Harry really wished he could dislike the wizard, but it was impossible. He was just so damn Canadian.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Lily Evans Hospital went off without a hitch. Minister Slughorn's speech moved many to tears as he praised Harry's mother to the heavens as a paragon of what a modern witch should be. Harry almost cried himself until he remembered the eulogy Slughorn had given for Aragog, the man-eating Acromantula. The old wizard had a gift for insincere sincerity. Harry was so distracted by the upcoming trip that he had no problem with his own short speech. He was too worried about Luna, Hedwig, and Andromeda to care about screwing it up.

* * *

A Portkey brought them to the valley deep in the Swiss Alps which was the home of the International Confederation of Wizards. You were only able to enter and leave the through this one designated area. The rest of the valley was protected by wards so ancient and powerful that they eclipsed even Hogwarts' celebrated defenses.

The Highlands had its own unique beauty that Harry had come to love, but he had to admit Switzerland had it beat in terms of scenery. The ICW building itself was a bit of a surprise. It was nothing like a certain dark castle in Scotland. Instead it built along the lines of a classical Roman temple, and was dominated by huge golden dome. That made sense, since most of the spells they were taught had Latin incantations.

Their four person delegation was led Minister Slughorn. Andromeda didn't trust Horace, so she insisted on coming along in case he needed any advice. It had been a difficult decision to leave Luna behind alone—especially now that she was pregnant with Hedwig—but Harry felt he had to be here to protect Andromeda if something went wrong.

Finally there was Tiberius Ogden, the wizard they had chosen as Dumbledore's replacement. He was a respected scholar and a member of the Wizengamot, so they thought he was an acceptable candidate. More importantly he hated Delores Umbridge with a passion, and would do anything to thwart her ambitions.

They slowly made their way to Hall of the Confederation which was located under the massive dome itself. The ceiling was covered by a circular painting of the Roman gods, whom many believed were ancient wizards themselves. Like the portraits at Hogwarts, Jupiter and his entire dysfunctional family slowly move about as the watched the proceedings in the Hall below.

_I wonder what the gods think about all this nonsense?_ Harry thought as he looked up at the huge toga-clad figures.

"Quite amazing, isn't it. I can still remember the first time I saw the Great Dome. That must have been over forty years ago."

"Is that an attempt to intimidate me with your vast experience?" Harry asked without looking down. He remember Leon Delacour's voice from Fleur and Bill's wedding. "I wasn't scared of Voldemort, and I'm certainly not going to be scared of a Frog like you."

Andromeda came over to join in the fun. "Harry, please introduce us. Isn't this the backstabbing Frenchmen who has been playing host to our enemies these past few months? I can see why he had to marry a Veela—he's an ugly little troll. Reminded me again, didn't you save the life of his daughter Gabrielle? I guess Life Debts don't mean as much on his side of the English Channel."

"You insolent..."

"As I recall the Black family predates the Delacour family by at least four-hundred years. So... ugly and stupid," was Andromeda's riposte.

As Delacour walked off in a huff, Slughorn came over to join them. "It was foolish to anger Delacour like that—he is one of the most powerful wizards in all of Europe."

"No, it was not foolish," Andromeda replied. "He is a French patriot to the core, which means he will always be our enemy. Hopefully his anger will cloud his judgment. Just stick to your speeches Horace, and leave the politics up to me."

Fortunately, Slughorn did give excellent speeches. He was perfectly at ease, and spoke to the Hall in a clear and forceful voice. While the Minister made a token effort to promote Tiberius Ogden's nomination, the main thrust of his argument was that as long as the future government of the United Kingdom was in doubt no one should be allowed to take Dumbledore's seat here at the ICW. This was very popular idea with the wizards and witches in attendance, since it freed them from having to make a vote they might regret later. As Andromeda had pointed out: they didn't have to win the election, just keep it from happening in the first place.

Then that cow Umbridge got up to speak. She was still wearing one of her hideous pink outfits, and she still had that annoying voice. As a speaker she was a disaster right from the start. She totally ignored reason they were all here, and instead began ranting about the **Diagon Ally Massacre**, and how Harry Potter was the world's newest Dark Lord.

Andromeda leaned over to whisper in Harry's ear. "This is all wrong. The Exiles have to know this stupid witch isn't going to persuade anyone to do anything."

"Plus there is the fact that she tortured me, and tried to have my soul consumed by Dementors," Harry whispered back.

"I think the Exiles know Umbridge is going to fail. That means this election was just bait to lure us here to Switzerland."

"You really think this is a trap?" Harry asked as he slowly began looking around the Hall. All the exits were being blocked by ICW staff members with their distinctive purple robes. "You said this valley has been neutral territory for the past three-thousand years. How can they attack us here in front of all these witnesses?"

By now Umbridge had worked up a real head of steam: "And I shall be the one to rid the world of this menace. Avada Kedavra!"

"Potter, get down!"

That was the last thing Tiberius Ogden ever said. He didn't hesitate to shield the Boy-Who-Lived with his own body. Harry hated Umbridge before, but holding the old man's dead body in his arms was too much. His overpowered Reducto Curse caused the former High Inquisitor to explode into a shower of flesh and blood and bones.

However the threat wasn't gone. Umbridge's assassination attempt was a signal the ICW staffers, and they also began casting. Their plan had seemed full-proof, since they had both the element of surprise and numbers in their favor. No one would be left alive to report this crime back to their governments around the world. What the European purebloods hadn't taken into consideration was the fact that like Harry, many of the ICW ambassadors were powerful wizards and witches. In some case very powerful, if the incredible spells being thrown around were any indication. The Hall quickly erupted into dozens of individual duals.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Harry said to Andromeda and Slughorn after he lowered Ogden's dead body to the floor. They fought their way to one of the exits, but unfortunately it wasn't the one they had entered through.

"Please tell me one of you knows your way around this madhouse."

"Sorry, its my first visit here since I was a teenager," Slughorn said. "I have no idea how to get out of building and to the edge of the wards."

"Female members of the Black Family were taught how to run a proper pureblood household, not the floor-plan of the ICW," Andromeda added.

"That's just great," Harry muttered. "Let's try his way."

It was soon clear that he made a poor choice, since they ran into another purple-robed ambush. Andromeda was hit in the leg with a Bone-Breaking Curse, and they were soon pinned down behind one of the towering marble columns that lined the interior of the ICW.

Andromeda's leg was a sickening mess. "There is no way I can walk on this. Just leave me here, and I will..."

That was as far as she got before Harry stunned her. "Can you cast a Feather-Weight Charm on a person?" he asked Slughorn.

"Generally it isn't a good idea given all the nasty side-effects."

"Do it anyway," Harry ordered.

While being the same height as each other was kind of useful in the bedroom, it made carrying Andromeda over his shoulder rather awkward. It also limited Harry's ability to go on the offense using his superior speed. They traded a few more spells with their ICW attackers, but they were still pinned down.

Slughorn closed his eyes and gathered his breath. "Harry my boy, I am about to do something very heroic. And very stupid. When I do, I want you to take Andromeda and run as fast as you can."

"There is no need for that," Harry replied between spells.

"Yes, there is. We both know I have make certain mistakes that can never be forgiven. But if I die today you will make sure my dark secrets die with me. That is a fair trade, don't you think?"

Again Harry paused from returning fire. "Did you really mean everything you said about my mother the other morning?"

"Every single word," Slughorn told him.

"Horace, I will make your eulogy one for the ages."

As Harry watched the old Potion Master step out to into the line of fire, he was reminded of their first meeting. Slughorn had stood back-to-back with Albus Dumbledore and repaired an entire house in a matter of seconds. He may not have looked like a great wizard, but he was one. Outnumbered at least ten-to-one, Slughorn gave Harry the time he needed to escape with Andromeda.

They almost made it to the designated Portkey area outside when suddenly they were under attack again. Alone with an unconscious and injured Andromeda, it didn't look good. It was just Harry's luck that this group of ICW staffers was led by Leon Delacour. The French wizard apparently felt the need to taunt him.

"Potter, you and your muggle-loving whore are going to suffer! Do you hear?"

Now Harry knew where Fleur got her temper from; the man was actually foaming at the mouth. Delacour was so busy describing the horrible ways they were going to be torture to death that he didn't notice the wizards around him were being brought down by Stunners. He wasn't so fortunate.

"Sectumsempra."

A red line formed from Delacour's right shoulder to his left thigh. Then his body slowly separated into two pieces. Harry could tell that he remained conscious for several seconds.

"If George Weasley ever complains about his ear, tell him what is happens when the Curse is properly cast," said the Half-Blood Prince.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

Seeing Severus Snape alive again was an overwhelming experience for Harry, but for some reason one detail stood out above all the others. "You got a nose job?"

"Potter, I have already killed once today. Do not tempt me."

"This is impossible, you're dead. I watched you die." Harry finally snapped out of his daze, and raised the Elder Wand. "Who are you?"

"Given your vast experience with Polyjuice Potion that should have been your first question. Ask me anything, and be quick about it."

"The memory in the Pensieve..."

"It was of your father and his friends attacking me during my fifth year at Hogwarts. When I found out that I outlived the last of them, I took great pleasure in visiting Remus Lupin's grave and pissing on it."

"You tosspot, I am going to..."

"Shut up, and stand over here," Snape ordered. "And keep Andromeda between us."

"Why?" he asked as he struggled to move the unconscious witch into position.

"This is why," Snape replied—Harry only saw Fawkes' majestic wings for a brief second before the magical flames engulfed all of them.

They reappeared in a garden courtyard surrounded by an old stone building. There was a women there waiting for them, and it took Harry a moment to realize that it was Narcissa Malfoy. Her dark blonde hair had been cut short, and she was wearing a simple green sundress. He couldn't help but notice that she wasn't wearing a bra, and that her breasts were noticeably larger than her sister's. All in all, Mrs Malfoy looked nothing like the pureblood aristocrat he had meet several times in the past.

"What happened Severus? Is Andy aright?"

"I believe her leg is broken in several places. Let's get her inside,"

Snape levitated Andromeda and a sick-looking Fawkes into the building and up a narrow set of stairs. The apartment they entered was small and unremarkable, yet Harry could sense the deadly wards surrounding around it. Snape gently laid Andromeda down on the sofa, and then placed Fawkes on the dinning room table.

"A Bone-Breaking Curse shattered her leg," Harry explained. "I hope you have some Skele-Gro around here."

"Am I not a Potion Master?" Snape snarled. A flick of his wand to reveled a storage cabinet hidden in one of the walls. It was stocked with a wide section of ingredients and a number of ready-made potions.

As Snape selected a small bottle of Skele-Gro, Fawkes burst into flames. He burned and burned until nothing was left of his body. A few seconds later a tiny baby Phoenix stuck his tiny beak out of the pile of hot ash.

"I guess that the stress of bring us here too much for him," Harry said. "Where is here anyway? And what the bloody hell is Narcissa Malfoy doing here?"

"It is Narcissa **Snape**, and this is our apartment in Rome. Now answer my question: why was Andy in such danger?"

"What do you care? You two haven't spoken in over twenty years."

Narcissa was taken aback by his snide comment, and she turned away with a look of shame on her face.

"Potter, do you honestly think I would have risked my life to save **you** now that the Dark Lord is dead?" Snape said as he went to comfort his new wife. Snape with a wife—that just seemed wrong. "I was there to rescue my sister-in-law. In fact, I should have left you behind."

Harry bit back several nasty replies, and thought about the situation for a moment. Life had been so much easier when he could afford to be a petulant teenager all the time. Being a responsible adult sucked. "I'm sorry if I offend you Mrs Snape. And thank you Professor for saving our lives back at the ICW. Now can you please see to Andromeda's injuries before she bleeds to death?"

Suddenly the wards around the small apartment collapse without warning. All three of them turned towards the door with their wands out.

"Severus, what kind of mischief have you been up to?" The man who walked through the door was dressed like an old-fashioned Catholic priest, yet he didn't seem fazed at all by their wands. He looked to be in his eighties, and his tightly curled white hair stood out in sharp contrast to his dark brown skin. The priest glance over at Fawkes' ash pile and smiled. "I should have known the flaming turkey was back from his vacation."

"Cardinal Wiwa, I apologize for breaching the city wards, but the Fawkes warned us that my sister-in-law's life was in great danger. I promise you that this will not happen again."

Harry doubted that Snape had been that deferential even to Dumbledore or Voldemort, yet the old Cardinal waved the apology off like it was nothing.

"I take this is Chancellor Andromeda Tonks? I should really take a look at that leg while I'm here."

"Wait a second..."

"Potter, the Cardinal is a skillful healer—among his many other talents," Snape explained. "Now get out of his way before I hurt you."

"Come here and sit down Harry Potter," Wiwa said as he pulled two wooden chairs over to the sofa. "While I'm working on this leg I want you tell me what transpired at the ICW, and where your Minister Horace Slughorn is."

"How did you know about all that?"

The Cardinal laughed as a short wand suddenly appeared in his hand. He began running it over Andromeda's mangled leg. "There is very little that happens in world without the Catholic Church knowing at least something of it beforehand."

Lacking any better options Harry gave them a summary of the day's events. He told them of the pureblood plot to lure them to Switzerland, and of the ambush by the ICW staffers. He then told them about Minister Slughorn's heroic last stand. Narcissa had a difficult time believing that last bit of the story.

"It's all true," Harry insisted. "He saved both of our lives."

"You can put that Skele-Gro away," Cardinal Wiwa said as his wand disappeared. "The leg is fine. Let's wake sleeping beauty up, and see if she can add anything to our young hero's entertaining story."

Andromeda awoke with a gasp as Harry held her steady in his arms. "We are safe now. Are you alright?" She answered by grabbing a handful of his hair and pulling him in for a forceful kiss.

"Andy!" Narcissa yelled. "What in the name of Merlin do you think you are doing with that boy?"

"Prissy Cissy—I see you still have that stick up your arse after all these years. And what do we have here: Severus Snape back from the land of the dead. I wonder how long the two of you were meeting behind Lucius' back? Long enough to plan on secretly running away together." Andromeda then turned to the Cardinal. "And the Pope's own magical hatchet man, which means we are probably in Rome. What happened to Slughorn?"

"He is dead," Harry answered. He was amazed—and kind of aroused—at how quickly she figured everything out.

"I can't believe the purebloods were desperate enough to risk destroying the ICW. It has been neutral territory for thousands of years. And to kill that many influential wizards and witches from around the world. They are all insane," Andromeda said as she checked her leg. "Who healed this?"

"That would be me, the Pope's own magical hatchet man," Cardinal Wiwa said with a grin. "And as for the purebloods of Europe: they were desperate enough to ally themselves with a psychotic Dark Lord like Voldemort. What is a few more deaths after something like that. Don't you agree Severus?"

"Yes, they have always relied on the United Kingdom to support the pureblood movement. If Potter is allowed to consolidate power, they would be facing a country ruled by a muggleborn for the next one-hundred years. Best to kill the boy now," Snape said with a bit too much enthusiasm.

"I'm not in power, and I'm not a muggleborn," Harry protested. "Not that there is anything wrong with being a muggleborn."

Andromeda gently cupped his face with her hands. "Of course you're in power. Slughorn certainly wasn't running things. As for being a muggleborn—that was always part of Albus Dumbledore's plan. He made sure you were raised in ignorance of our world so that you would always support his ideology by default." She turned to face the others. "Thank you for your help today, but we have to return to Hogsmeade at once."

"You should avoid all forms of magical transportation—if you tried to use a Portkey or Apparition it would give the purebloods an excellent opportunity to kill you," Cardinal Wiwa said. "It would also be wise to avoid Spain and France. I will arrange for a private jet to take you over Austria and Germany to the North Sea. One of my cars will arrive and take you to the airport in about an hour. Of course the Catholic Church must remain neutral, but that will not prevent us from spreading the news about what happened at the ICW today. We will make sure the purebloods can't cover their vile crimes up this time."

The old wizard gave them a playful wink and silently vanished. It was the most perfect Apparition Harry had ever seen. "Who the bloody hell was **that**?" he asked.

"That was Cardinal Saro Wiwa," Snape replied. "He is a very powerful wizard who protects the Catholic Church from any and all magical threats. Neither Dumbledore nor the Dark Lord were his equal. When Fawkes brought us to Rome the phoenix breached the elaborate wards the Cardinal has in place around the city. That is why he came here to investigate so quickly."

"If he is such a powerful wizard, than why did I have to kill Voldemort?"

"He just told you why, you imbecile. The policy of the Catholic Church is to remain neutral at all times. As long as they are left alone, they will not interfere with the magical world."

Despite having been apart for so many years, over the next hour Andromeda and Narcissa quickly fell back into their roles as sisters and began trading gossip. Harry could have sworn he was in the same room as Lavender Brown. **Andy** broke the ice by saying that she really liked **Cissy's** new short hairstyle. Then Narcissa proudly told them about little Marius Snape being on the way, and had her sister touch her baby bump. Naturally Andromeda started sharing news about Teddy Potter and Hedwig Potter.

"So the Lovegood witch is already pregnant. Does she know you're shagging her husband?" Narcissa asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Well Cissy, considering the fact that Luna is in the same bed with us when it happens, I would have to say yes she does."

"Andy! Two teenagers?"

"Don't knock it until you've tried it."

"You scarlet witch."

In a desperate attempt to change the subject, Snape told them that Fawkes hadn't actually been living with them here in Rome. He had just appeared in their in apartment a short time ago. The phoenix somehow sent them an image of Andromeda, and forced Snape to leave with him.

"I had no idea where I was going, or what I what I was supposed to do when I got there. But Dumbledore always insisted that Fawkes could be trusted, and Narcissa didn't want you to die," Snape told them.

The gossip continued. Harry felt kind of sorry for Draco when he found out that his mother had been cheating on his father for the past nine years. Looking back it should have been obvious that Snape had faked his death. One of the first lessons he gave them in Potions was how to counteract poisons. Yes, Snape had gotten a nose job in an attempt to change his appearance. His hair was shorter, and it was clean for a change. Narcissa was also buying his stylish clothes now.

Snape's new job in Rome turned out to be interesting. The lab he worked for was under the patronage and protection of the Catholic Church. They attempted to reserve-engineer magical potions so the muggles could use them. Then they secretly sold their new products to the international pharmaceutical companies.

"That is very noble of you," Harry said.

"It is also very profitable, you simpleton. Not all of us come from rich families—some of us actually have to earn our own galleons. And by the way, how exactly did you afford to build that hospital in Hogsmeade? Dumbledore told me about the Potter Vault, and even you couldn't afforded something that expensive."

"We claimed the Dark Lord's Vault at Gringotts," Andromeda told them with obvious pride.

"Really?" Narcissa asked. "I always wanted to know how much he had salted away in there."

"About sixteen million galleons."

"How did you get the Goblins to agree to the transfer?" Snape asked.

"We killed Ragnok," Harry replied. He was still deeply ashamed of the fact that he had killed two Goblins during the quasi robbery.

"Well done," was Mr and Mrs Snape's opinion on the subject.

The one topic that did caused friction between the two sisters was Draco and his pureblood friends. Narcissa insisted that they were in no way supporting her son, or any actions he might be taking. (Actions like ordering the death of his Aunt Andy.) At the same time they would do nothing to actively sabotaged him either. Severus and Narcissa intended to sit out the remainder of the war as neutrals here in Rome under the protection of the Church.

Thankfully a car arrived before the mood in the apartment could deteriorate any further. Fawkes insisted that they take him back to Hogsmeade—he wouldn't stop shrieking until Harry finally picked him up. The two sisters hugged and promised to exchange letters. Maybe even visits once things calmed down. Both Harry and Snape looked horrified at the thought of having each other as a house guest.

Andromeda and Harry discovered that Cardinal Wiwa had been very generous when they reached the airport. He had chartered them a private jet which could easily make the trip back to the United Kingdom, even with their circuitous flight plan. The jet landed in Aberdeen four hours later in the middle of the night. By this time they were both worried about the reactions of their loved ones back in Hogsmeade.

"Hermione should really find a reliable method of long-range magical communication," Harry grumbled. They had tried the two-way enchanted mirrors, but for some reason they refused to work outside of the country.

"During any future trips we will arrange for someone to remain by a muggle telephone at all times," Andromeda said. "Are you ready?"

With a single Side-Along Apparition Harry took her back to Dumbledore's cabin while holding Fawkes in his other hand. Luna, Hermione, Lisa, and Beatrice were all awake and waiting for them despite the late hour. Harry was a bit alarmed when Luna rushed to give Andromeda—and not her husband—a fierce hug. Instead he had to settle for Hermione trying to crush his ribs.

"What happened!" his best friend yelled right into his ear.

"What are they reporting on the Wireless? Has the Wizengamot said anything?" Andromeda asked. Luna still hadn't let go of her.

"The only person in Hogsmeade with extensive international sources is Ambassador Fraser, and he only thing he knows is that the ICW is under a total blackout," Lisa answered. "Nothing is coming out of Switzerland, and no one can get in to gather more information."

"They killed Minister Slughorn and Tiberius Ogden. They tried to kill us all," Harry told them. That finally got his wife's attention, and she rushed over to his side. "I think anyone who wasn't a European pureblood was supposed to die. It was all a giant trap."

"First we have to gather the Wizengamot, and give them our report. Then we will make a full statement on the Wireless," Andromeda said as she reached for the Floo powder. "Beatrice could you please go and get Teddy. I don't want anyone to be alone tonight."

* * *

It took the Aurors nearly an hour to find all the Wizengamot members. The dreadful news shocked the old geezers. Even before the ICW had become the ICW, that valley in Switzerland had been a sacred meeting place for wizards and witches. To break the taboo against violence was inconceivable for many. Harry finally lost his patience, and forced them to view the memory of the attack in his Pensieve.

"We need a new Minister," someone said with a panic-stricken voice.

"We have a new Minister—Andromeda Tonks," Augusta Longbottom pointed out. "The law is clear: when the Minister of Magic dies or can no longer hold office, the Chancellor of the Exchequer will take his or her place. That was one of the first new laws the Wizengamot passed under Minister Slughorn."

"I agree with Mrs Longbottom," Harry said.

While a few of the more ambitious Wizengamot members might have been willing to go against the new law, they weren't willing to go against the new law **and** Harry Potter. Not in the middle of a crisis like this. The vote confirming Andromeda as the new Ministry of Magic was unanimous. It was also agreed that they would discuss the current situation tomorrow after getting some much-needed sleep. With that the exhausted members of the Wizengamot returned to their homes.

Dealing with the Wireless was much easier—perhaps because Harry owned it. Then again, the story they told was an interesting one. Arthur Weasley showed himself to be a true professional that night. His calm and insightful questions quickly drew the information out of Harry and Andromeda. In fact, Arthur did such a good job Harry actually broke down in tears as he told them about Minister Slughorn's heroic death.

On the plane ride home both Andromeda and Harry agreed that they should hide Snape's part in their escape. The Potion Master wanted the magical world to think he was dead, and they both owned him that much. There was also the fact that **Andy** wanted to stay on **Cissy's** good side. To that end they came up with a cover-story about how they Apparited to Italy, and from there used muggle transportation to get back home. It sounded reasonable enough.

Later that night the three of them were lying in bed together, but they were still too agitated to sleep even after an hour of gentle but passionate lovemaking. Luna was watching Fawkes—whom she insisted on calling Heliopath—settle down in his improvised nest. She refused to bend on the name.

"Fawkes died with Albus Dumbledore. This is Heliopath."

The phoenix had ignored Harry and Andromeda since they returned to the cabin. Harry had hoped he found a new familiar, but it looked like Luna was the one the magical bird wanted to bond with. Well, at least Heliopath was still in the family.

"What are we going to do now?" Luna asked as she snuggled in her own nest between their warm bodies.

"As much as I hate to admit it, there isn't much we can do until the Exiles make their next move," Andromeda said as she played with the younger witch's long hair. "Are they still planning to attack us? Or will they realize that the odds against them winning this ridiculous war are too long? I honestly don't know which way they will jump."

"That's easy: they will attack," Harry said. "They're too stupid to do anything else."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

"Paris is worth a mass, William. And I am worth a name."

That is what Fleur had told him at her father's funeral. Apparently her mother Apolline had cut a deal with the extended Delacour family. If he was willing to take the Delacour name and accept French citizenship none of the inbreed cretins would contest his right to lead the powerful pureblood family. If he chose to remain a Weasley the only thing he could expect from his wife was a quick divorce.

_This is what comes of marrying a rich Veela_, Bill thought.

Growing up he had hated being poor as much as any of his brothers, so he spent his entire life tying to make something better for himself. Some fools try to talk up the intellectual challenge of being a Curse Breaker, but in reality there is only reason to take the job: the galleons. The tombs Gringotts pick to plunder are surrounded by the most horrible curses ever devised. They are designed to inflict slow and agonized deaths, and he had seen it happen with his own eyes on more than one occasion.

Still, the rewards were worth the risk, and after several years Bill had stashed a respectable pile of galleons in his Vault. That plus his good looks and pureblood status should have guaranteed the former Head Boy a wealthy heiress of his choice. That was the real reason he had been at Hogwarts during the Triwizard Tournament: he was checking out the prospects. The Patil twins in particular seemed promising, at least until he saw Fleur Delacour standing there in all her glory.

With his Curse Breaker training he was able to resist her magical allure... to a degree. That had piqued Fleur's interest, and it didn't take much effort on her part to hook him. When she showed up at Gringotts for her **English lessons **it was all over. Soon they were engaged, and she had convinced him to buy the adorable little Shell Cottage. It had taken all his hard-earned galleons, but he didn't care. Their life together had been one long erotic dream, and the drama of the war had only heightened the experience.

But after a time Fleur grew bored the United Kingdom... and with him. She wanted to return to civilization, which in her mind meant France. Since the death of her father she had been threatening him with a divorce, something that held a deep stigma in their society. If he returned home in disgrace he would no longer have his galleons or his good looks to fall back on. With the current political crisis it would be impossible to find a buyer for the Shell Cottage, and his new facial scars meant landing another a wealthy witch was no longer an option.

That left him with two choices. He could return home and end-up like his father: living in a glorified pigsty like the Burrow with a domineering hag for a wife. Or he could stay in France, were he would be the master of a magnificent Chateau and still married to a Veela. The choice Fleur had given him wasn't really a choice at all. So William Delacour—now an unhappy French citizen—was meeting with Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott to discus their future plans.

"I will be honest with you...Delacour," Malfoy said with a smirk. "We simply can't trust you without certain guarantees."

"Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves." Dealing with Malfoy was a painful pill to swallow, but Bill kept telling himself that he wasn't nearly as bad Voldemort had been. "Do you honestly believe we can return home after the debacle at the ICW. The international community will be out for blood."

"Don't be naive—there is no magical international community," Nott said in a condescending tone. "There are only individual countries which are terrified of taking on the purebloods of Europe. Sure, they will condemn us in their pathetic newspapers, but they won't take any tangible actions against us."

"The True Ministry of Magic will be returning to the United Kingdom as scheduled," Malfoy said. "The only question is whether will you be joining us or not. I spoken to your lovely mother-in-law several times, and she assures me that you will."

That had been the Delacour matriarch's third and final condition: Bill had to avenge her husband's death. Unlike Fleur he doubted if Apolline had ever really loved the ugly wizard, but it was a point of honor. Bill would never be fully accepted as the head of the Delacour family until Harry Potter was dead, and Malfoy knew it.

"What more guarantees do you want? Nott is engaged to my sister-in-law Gabrielle, and you're marrying Ginny."

Bill had been shocked when the subject of marriages had come up, but he played along thinking that Ginny would never agree to it. But she had, and Bill wanted to kill Potter for that alone. The only possible reason his sister could have for marrying as wanker like Draco Malfoy was because the bloody Chosen One had broken her heart by marrying Loony Lovegood.

"That is an important step, but in the end it's just another marriage alliance. The magic I'm talking about is more binding than that," Malfoy said.

"Something like an Unbreakable Vow?" The idea of a Vow made the Curse Breaker in him nervous. Very nervous.

"No, they are far too easy to circumvent," Draco said dismissively. "What I'm proposing would require a certain... sacrifice on all our parts."

* * *

"Here you are," Harry said as he handed Andromeda a glass jar which held a small red and black beetle inside. Luna and Hermione leaned in for a closer look. The four of them were alone in the Minister's new office—this was definitely one meeting they wanted to keep quite. "One annoying little Animagus as ordered.

"And the _Daily Prophet_ itself?" Hermione asked.

"An accidental fire, I'm afraid," Harry replied, barely able to keep a straight face. "It was burned to the ground, and its printing press were completely destroyed."

His casual attitude infuriated his best friend. "This is so wrong. We shouldn't be lowering ourselves to their level."

"Hermione, wasn't blackmailing Rita Skeeter after You-Know-Who's rebirth originally your idea?" Luna asked.

The witch had the grace to blush at her blatant hypocrisy. "That was different."

"Yes, it was," Minister Tonks told Hermione in a harsh tone. "This isn't an internal civil war against a lone madman and his small group of Death Eaters. We are now in a **real** war against half of the magical governments in Europe, and they are planning to invade our country at some point. Normally I support a free press, but it's a luxury we can no longer afford. Now let Rita Skeeter out, and don't say anything to contradict me in front of her. Is that clear?"

They all nodded. Harry opened the lid of the jar, and the tiny beetle made a mad dash for freedom. Fortunately they had sealed the room beforehand, so after buzzing around for a few minutes she gave up and returned to her human form.

"I'm not in Azkaban, so what do you want from me?"

"For a reporter you are woefully uninformed. We abandoned Azkaban some time ago, and built a new prison. One which is completely secure, but just as unpleasant as Azkaban."

"Minister Tonks, you really must come up with better threats if you hope to survive," Skeeter said. "Now what do you want?"

"I am going to let you go, and then you'll make your way to France," Andromeda said. "Once there you'll offer your services to the True Ministry of Magic, as they call themselves. We know they are planning on printing their own version of the _Daily Prophet_ in the near future, so they will need veteran reporters like you."

"What's the catch?"

"I want you to send back any information about the Exiles you manage to overhear while in your Animagus form."

Skeeter laughed in their faces. "Send me to your new and improved prison right now. I'm not going to risk being executed as a spy working for a Ministry of Magic that will be overthrown in a few months time."

Andromeda looked her straight in the eyes. "You are going to become our spy. If you don't, you aren't leaving this office alive."

"Even You-Know-Who never threatened to kill me." Skeeter was trying to sound confident, but the threat had clearly shaken her.

"The Dark Lord didn't kill a lot of people he should have, and in the end it cost him his life. I don't plan on making the same mistakes he did," Andromeda said as she handed the reporter a parchment with the Unbreakable Vow written on it. "That is the exact wording I want you to use. Don't even think about deviating from it."

"If the _Daily Prophet_ has been closed then what are the people suppose to read? The _Quibbler_?" Skeeter asked, stalling for time.

"No, the _Quibbler_ was been closed as well," Luna said. "Would you like to see what we have to replace it?"

She handed Skeeter a newspaper called the _Arithmancer_. With the Exiles printing their version of the _Daily Prophet_ in France, Andromeda knew they needed a newspaper that was uniquely their own. Something brand new for the public. The _Quibbler_ had improved in quality, but it was still seen by too many people as a joke. On the other hand the _Arithmancer_ had a clean and modern layout, well-written articles (their muggleborn reporters were far more talented than purebloods like Skeeter), and new colored photographs unlike the old-fashioned ones found in the _Daily Prophet_. They intended to hand it out free of charge to increase circulation.

"This looks interesting, but I could never write for a newspaper with no bylines," Rita said as she leafed through the introductory issue. "Between this and the Wireless you are really pumping out the propaganda these days."

Hermione didn't want to see anyone die—not even Rita Skeeter—so she attempted to reason with the witch. "It doesn't really matter if we lose the war, not for you personally. If the Exiles win you will still be the star reporter for the _Daily Prophet_. But if we win your role as a spy will make you a hero. As long as you take the deal we are offering, you can't lose."

"What if Minister Tonks decides to sell me out?"

"I will take a Vow to protect your cover if that will ease your concerns." Andromeda offered.

"Fine," Skeeter sneered. "You have got yourself a spy. Not that is will do you any good."

Harry unsealed the room, and the obnoxious reporter flew out the window in her Animagus form. Andromeda then turned to Hermione. "You said you were going to show us the newest version of WWTV."

"Let me go get Lisa, and we'll bring it in," Hermione said as she bounced out of her chair and ran from the room. She was very proud of her lab's accomplishment—even if she still thought that witches and wizards would be better off avoiding the bane of television.

"Harry, have your Aurors been practicing with their Omnioculars?" Andromeda asked. "If we are going to spend all these galleons in the middle of a war, I want to be able squeeze the maximum amount of value out of any atrocities the Exiles commit."

"Well, the main focus of their training is to stay alive during combat, but there are standing orders to document any war crimes they come across."

"Excellent."

Hermione then returned a few minutes later with Lisa. They were carrying what looked to be a framed wall mirror about a meter wide. "This is it: the Wizarding Wireless Television. We were going to go with the Magical Television, but then everyone would have called it the MTV."

Only Luna failed to get the joke.

"What does it look like when it's turned on?" Harry asked. Despite having paid for all the expensive research, he had never seen the WWTV in action before.

"First we have to turn on the magical transmission tower." Hermione turned and sent her otter Patronus racing towards the Wireless building on the other side of Hogsmeade. "Powering the signal transmission itself is going to be the limiting factor for quite some time."

Lisa continued: "As of now we only have enough power for two hours of broadcasting each day. If we want to extend that, we'll have to develop a new system for storing magical energy. Right now we are seriously pushing the safety limits on the standard ward stones."

Suddenly the mirror came alive. It looked and sounded just like a normal muggle television, but for some reason Andromeda looked unhappy. "Is there a problem?" Lisa asked.

"No, it's just that _Excalibur_ was one of my husband's favorite movies. Ted and I must have watched it a dozen times over the years," she told them in a distant voice. Luna quickly sat down in Andromeda's lap, which made the older witch smile.

"I'm sorry about that," Hermione said as she sent her otter Patronus off again. "George really likes _Excalibur_, so we have been using it as a test loop during the trial phase."

"What you mean is that George really likes all the nude scenes," Lisa added.

Hermione smirked. "The boy does have a wicked crush on Helen Mirren."

"What is the effective broadcast range?" Andromeda asked as she stroked Luna's arm.

"We can cover the entire United Kingdom," Lisa told them. "But as I said before, it only works for two hours a day."

"That will be more than enough for our purposes."

* * *

"This is your last chance to back out Delacour," Nott told him.

The three pureblood scions had taken a field trip to the Black Forest in Germany. The magic Bill felt flowing through these trees was a least as potent as anything he had encountered in the tombs of Egypt. Fleur had tagged along to see if he had the nerve to complete the ritual itself. She told her husband several times that she thought he was too much of a coward to handle it, and that she would be forced to avenge her father's death with her own wand.

"I'm not going anywhere Nott."

This ritual was the price Malfoy demanded if Bill wanted a place in their upcoming campaign to retake the United Kingdom. As he had told them, it would require a sacrifice from each of them—a human sacrifice. That was the reason they had traveled here. The ancient wizards of the Black Forest had taken human sacrifice and turned it into a twisted form of magic which could be used in several unique ways. This particular ritual would bind the three of them together, and prevent them from betraying each other in the future.

"Here is your knife."

The obsidian blade Nott gave him looked ordinary enough, but the horrors it must have been used for over the millennia. Horrors which **he** would be adding to today. Bill looked over at the old stone platform, and saw that the complex runes carved into it were stained with blood.

_How much blood?_ he wondered.

There was a commotion in the forest, and they all turned to see Malfoy and several magical guards leading three hooded prisoners into the forest clearing.

"Delacour. Nott. I'm glad to see you two haven't backed out. Now let me present today's guests of honor."

"For Nott we have his former fiancée Daphne Greengrass. How long were you two betrothed? Three years? As I recall you lost your virginity to her." Greengrass was mercifully gagged, but the look of terror on her teary face spoke volumes.

Malfoy actually seemed to be enjoying himself, and Bill had to fight an overwhelming urge to run. If he did he would lose everything. But if he stayed he would become one of the most powerful wizards in Europe, perhaps one the most powerful wizards in the entire world. He looked over at Fleur. She knew precisely what he was thinking, and her look of contempt kept his feet from moving.

"And this is my whore of a mother. She admitted to me that she had been betraying my father for years. And less then a month after his death she debased herself by marrying a filthy half-blood. She and her unborn bastard deserve nothing less than death."

Unlike Greengrass, there were no tears on Narcissa's face. Instead there was a look of terrible sadness. She knew her son better than anyone, and she must have realized tears wouldn't do her any good at this point.

"And finally we come to your guest Delacour." With a grand flourish Malfoy removed the hood of the third prisoner. It was his bother Charlie.

"I've had enough of your sick games," Bill said. "Let's get this over with."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

"I'm going to have to send Cissy a thank-you note for inspiring you," Harry told Andromeda during their daily afternoon tryst. "I love your hair like this."

For some reason her long aristocratic neck fascinated the boy, and he found it difficult to stop kissing it now that her hair was so short. If it wasn't for these trysts—which were wonderful for relieving stress—Andromeda thought she might have gone insane. And that was a chilling thought for a sister of Bellatrix Lestrange. Being the Minister of Magic was turning out to be a nightmare.

"Enough already," Andromeda said as she got off the office chair where she had been straddling him. "We have to be at Hogwarts soon."

It had been six long weeks since the attack at the ICW, and they had finally caught their first real break. Ambassador Fraser had stopped by the Ministry of Magic last night and told her that several international VIPs were visiting Hogwarts as tourists, and they wanted to meet with her. Not in any official capacity—just for an informal chat. Andromeda felt the political and military situation was so desperate she was willing to take whatever crumbs they were willing to offer.

"Why did they have to pick Halloween?" Harry whined as he got dressed. "I hate Halloween."

"What difference does the date make? Oh, your parents."

"That and the fact that a mountain troll almost killed Hermione on Halloween during our first year at Hogwarts. I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't been in my life."

"Considering the stories you have told me, you probably would have died. Several times over I imagine," Andromeda told him.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"It's only the truth. Now let's get going. Arriving too early for this meeting would be inappropriate, but arriving too late would be even worse."

It was a short walk from the Minister's office down to the street below. The newly reopened Ministry of Magic in Hogsmeade was much smaller than the monstrosity that had been destroyed in London, and it had been built completely above ground. The reduction in size had not come without a cost though. The Wizengamot knew they could no longer afford the bloated bureaucracy of the past, and that many of the jobs being cut were sinecures for incompetent purebloods. Everyone also agreed that eliminating the Department of Magical Sports—along with several others minor departments—was long overdue.

However doing away with the Department of Mysteries was another story. Despite the fact that the Unspeakables had played a major part in London disaster, the Wizengamot fought hard to keep the Department. But Minister Tonks insisted on the change. She argued that Department of Mysteries took the finest minds in their society and cloistered them away going theoretical work of no use to anyone. The Unspeakables should be _speaking_ and sharing the productive discoveries they made with the public which paid for the research in the first place.

More than a few Wizengamot members predicted that the Unspeakables would be outraged by this new state of affairs, and they were soon proven right. Several Unspeakables had fled to France to join the Exiles. However Andromeda was willing to gamble that any help they provided to the enemy would be more than offset by the huge amount of galleons they would waste. Others were not so sure they should be taking that risk.

The streets of the village were another sign of the changes what were coming to their small world. One of the major drawbacks to living in Hogsmeade was the awful Highland weather. Between the rain and snow moving about was often a hassle, so the Ministry of Magic had purchased enchanted paving stones which always remained warm and dry no matter the weather. Another improvement were the new street lamps which were charmed to provide warm air in the winter.

Several of the older buildings in the village had been torn down, and their modern replacements were two or three or even four stories high. If Hogsmeade was to be their new capital it should at least look the part, and it was actually starting to. But as Andromeda and Harry made their way up the path to Hogwarts they both wondered if this new experiment would long endure.

"Minister Tonks, you look lovely as always," Professor Longbottom said as he greeted them at the castle entrance.

"Save your feeble charm for the simpering fan-girls. Where are our guests?" Andromeda demanded.

Neville just smiled. "Someone mentioned Harry's little adventure in the Chamber of Secrets during the tour, and I'm afraid they were a bit skeptical. So the four of them are now chatting with Myrtle up on the second floor. I brought you some flying carpets for the ride down." Neville said as he handed them three rolled-up bundles. The harebrained law prohibiting the use of flying carpets had recently been repealed.

Myrtle was thrilled to see them when they reached the bathroom. "Harry, why haven't you introduced me to your friends before now?" the ghost asked as she flew around Ambassador Fraser.

They were three other people with the Canadian Ambassador, but none of them made any attempt at small talk. They wanted a secure room for this conversation, which was the reason they were standing in a haunted bathroom. Harry walked over to the sink and hissed at it in Parseltongue to open the secret entrance.

"I believe that two to a carpet should be safe enough," Andromeda said.

With that they made their descent to the Chamber of Secrets. After Ron had opened the door so easily during the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry had decided that a stronger password was needed. "_Tom Riddle likes to write in his diary like a little girl_," he hissed.

After Harry had sealed the door of the Chamber behind them, the three tourists all took out flasks and drank from them. Their faces and bodies quickly began to shift and change. Their nondescript traveling clothes were also transfigured into more distinctive outfits.

"Ambassador Fraser, I believe introductions are in order."

"Yes, of course. Minister Tonks, Auror Potter, this is Director Yutaka of the Japanese Ministry of Magic." The ancient wizard gave them a slight bow. He was a bit shorter than Harry, and despite his beautiful silk kimono you could tell he his skinny body was frail. The only thing holding him up was a black lacquered staff covered with glowing Japanese characters.

"This is General Iskandar of the Indonesian Federation." Iskandar certainly looked like a general. He was even taller than Ambassador Fraser, with broad shoulders to match. Attached to the belt of his uniform was a Kris, one of the famous asymmetrical daggers associated with Indonesia. The General didn't look impressed with his hosts or his surroundings—despite the presence of massive basilisk corpse only a few meters away.

"And finally this is Secretary Bates of the United States Department of Magic." Seeing her Andromeda couldn't help but think of late Molly Weasley. The old American witch was easily as wide as she was tall, and her threadbare robes were covered with food stains. She wasn't poor—in fact the American had inherited a colossal fortune—she just didn't give a damn about other people's opinions. And that was a sign of real power.

Andromeda and Harry shared a quick look. All three of these individuals were in control of the Aurors in their respective countries, and all three of those countries were major players in the magical world. This was an excellent group considering the current state of affairs, far better than they had hoped for.

The magical world was both very similar and very different from its muggle counterpart. Wizards and witches in China and Russia had suffered greatly under communism in the twentieth century. Both Mao and Stalin had secretly launched genocidal wars against their magical populations: Mao because he honestly believed the wizards were conspiring with the Nationalists, and Stalin because he was megalomaniac who couldn't tolerant rivals of any kind. Brazil was locked in a constant struggle against the Spanish Empire in South America, while India was still fragmented into various mini-states. Some of these Indian states were ancient hereditary monarchies, while others were modern democracies. But Japan, Indonesia, and the United States were all unified, stable, and considered very powerful in the magical world.

"I would like to thank each of you personally for making what had to be very arduous journeys," Minister Tonks told them.

"We don't have time for diplomatic niceties, so lets skip all that nonsense and get down to brass tacks," Secretary Bates said as she conjured six comfortable benches from the stone floor. "We know that your Ministry of Magic wants formal alliances with our governments, but it's not going to happen any time soon."

Andromeda felt like her heart was going to break. After the ICW massacre she had assumed that the magical world would rally to their cause, but she had been so wrong. At first it seemed like things were going their way as the condemnations of the horrific attack in Switzerland poured in from many countries. But then nothing happened. Andromeda thought the purebloods' plot was a sign of desperation, but in reality they were simply confident that they could get away with their crimes. The bastards had judged the prevailing political winds far better than she had.

"If you don't want to help us, then why are you here wasting our time?" Harry asked.

"She said formal alliances," Director Yutaka replied.

"Exactly," Secretary Bates said. "The three of us made it to Scotland posing as tourists without any problems. I know several of my Aurors are interested in exploring the birthplace of their ancestors. Others are fascinated by the magical plants and animals of the United Kingdom, while still others might want to make an architectural study of this castle. I might be inclined to grant them some vacation time if they wanted it. Paid vacation time."

"My Aurors are more interested in dueling tournaments and combat training, but I'm sure you could arranged something along those lines," General Iskandar added.

"Of course we would deny everything and recall our Aurors at once if word of these... cultural exchanges leaked to the wrong people," Director Yutaka said. "Is that understood?"

"I know I'm a teenager, but I also know I the only one is here who has killed a Dark Lord. And I also killed that basilisk over there then I was twelve. So could you please tell me why we have to maintain this stupid charade?" Harry asked.

"Because boy, I came over to Europe as an Auror back in nineteen forty-three to deal with your Dark Lord Grindelwald," Secretary Bates told him. "We finished him and his people off, but less than twenty-five years later that psycho Voldemort started causing problems. Thanks to your mother he dies, but fifteen years later he is resurrected and succeeds in taking over the Untied Kingdom. Then Voldemort dies **again**, but his Death Eaters are left at large and they cause a bloodbath at the ICW... just for the hell of it. My people back home think you're all crazy over here in Europe, and they want nothing to do with any of you. If my government official declared war we would have riots in the streets."

"My countrymen feel the same way," Director Yutaka added. "However this incident at the ICW can not be allowed to go unpunished. These so-called purebloods must be taught a lesson, and through you we shall teach them a painful one."

"So you want to use us to do your dirty work in private, while keeping your own hands clean in public?" Harry asked.

"Yes, that is exactly what we want," General Iskandar said bluntly. "Not that you have much choice in the matter. I have seen several reports on the forces your Exiles have managed to gather in France. You are outnumbered—heavily outnumbered—and the most the Aurors you do have are little more than half-trained children."

Minister Andromeda Tonks took a deep breath, and plastered a fake smile on her face. "When you put it like that how can we possible refuse your generous offer of assistance?"

* * *

Across Hogsmeade, four of the five remaining Weasley wizards had gathered together to discuss the terrible news they had just received from Romania. They were all thinking the same thing, but as usual only Ron was tactless enough to say it out-loud.

"This can't be a coincidence. First that bastard goes over to the other side, and sells Ginny off like a piece of meat to Draco Malfoy. And now Charlie just happens to die at the same time. No way. Bill had something to do with this, and we all know it."

"Ron, you can not say something like that without evidence of some kind. William is still our brother," Percy whispered.

"Evidence? Want are we suppose to do Percy? Go and ask him if he killed Charlie?" Ron snarled.

"That is exactly what I'm going to do," Arthur said, speaking for the first time. "The Dragon Preserve spent us a Portkey so we can..."

His three sons saw that Arthur couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence. Again Ron felt the need to point out the obvious.

"Dad, traveling to Romania for Charlie's funeral could be a trap set by the Exiles. You can't risk it."

"No Ron, I must risk it. One way or the other I have to know if Bill has turned against the family. He received the same letter and the same Portkey from the Dragon Preserve. I know he will be there, and this will give me an opportunity to see him face-to-face."

"We are all going with you," George said, and his harsh tone ended any argument before it could start.

Less than an hour later all four Weasleys clasped the large metal ring they had been sent, and felt the familiar pull on their navels. The long trip was very unpleasant. Finally they landing in the middle of a vast Romanian forest. There was a small village, and several huge structures scattered about. It wasn't clear what the functions of these structures were, but they were obviously meant to hold adult dragons. The four Weasleys noticed a large group of people in the center of the village. Most had massive arms and were wearing leather, but three others stood out thanks to their fine dress robes. Ginny, Bill, and Fleur quickly came over to meet the new arrivals.

Ginny's eyes were redder than her hair, and her nose was a waterfall of thick snot. The youngest Weasley looked awful. She ran up to George and wrapped him in a tight hug. He quickly pulled out his wand, and Stunned her at point-blank range. George then threw his tiny sister over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

"What do you think you are going?" a shocked Bill asked.

"We taking Ginny home with us," Arthur answered. "This farce about her engagement to Draco Malfoy was gone on long enough."

"She signed a legal betrothal contract," Fleur pointed out. "You would be kidnapping her."

"Shut your mouth. This is a family business and has nothing to do with you." Everyone—even Fleur—was too shocked to speak.

Bill managed to recover first. "Don't speak to my wife like that."

"Why not?" Arthur asked. Bill had long considered himself the more powerful wizard, but at this moment he wasn't so sure. He could see no fear at all in his father's eyes.

Percy attempted to play the peacemaker. "Any betrothal contract with Draco Malfoy is null and void. He is a fugitive from justice, and as such he has no legal rights in the view of the Ministry of Magic."

Again Fleur couldn't resist. "The True Ministry of Magic has cleared young Draco of all the charges against him. In fact it is you who will be placed under arrest for being a member of the rebellious Wizengamot."

"There is only one British Ministry of Magic, and it's located in Hogsmeade," Percy replied coldly. "Not France."

"Please, we all know that Tonks and Potter don't stand a chance in the coming war," Bill told them. "She has been living as a muggle for the past twenty-five years, and he just an unstable boy. For Merlin's sake, I saw him dig a grave for a dead house-elf by hand. And you want to bet the future of our family on him?"

"Harry beat Voldemort, and he can beat any of you wankers," Ron said.

"He isn't fighting one person, you fool. All of Europe has united behind our noble cause," Fleur sneered. "We will win, and no matter how powerful Harry Potter might be he is still going to die. As for Andromeda Tonks—she is less than nothing."

"So William Delacour, you really have chosen to side against your family and your country." In all this time Arthur's eyes had never left those of his eldest son, and now he saw the terrible truth in them. "You also played some role in your brother's death, didn't you?"

"How could you even suggest that?"

"Don't bother to deny it," Arthur said. "Tell your new friend Draco Malfoy that he will never marry my daughter. Never. As for you... since you no longer wish to be my son, from this day forward you no longer are. For the sake of Molly's memory I won't raise my wand against you now, but if you take part in the invasion know that I will try to kill you."

The situation was far too volatile, so they all reached for their Portkey to return home. Charlie would have been the first to agree that getting Ginny safely back to the United Kingdom was far more important than attending his funeral.

* * *

"Well a Spaniard, a Frenchmen, a Goblin, and a German walk into the Vatican. That got to be the beginning of an excellent joke, don't you think?"

The Spanish, French, and Goblin Ambassadors all shared a look, and silently agreed that the nervous German Ambassador was an idiot. Of course they were all nervous, but he was the only one showing it. But they had good reason to be concerned. No wizard or Goblin had been summoned to the Vatican in decades.

Cardinal Wiwa enter the ornate drawing-room a few minutes later, and all four stood out of respect. They might scorn him in private as the muggle's pet wizard, but that bravado promptly disappeared in the face of his vast magical strength. As the Cardinal approached he tossed four thick folders onto the conference table.

"Read them."

The folders contained extensive intelligence reports from both the Vatican's Order of Saint Lazarus, and the Italian SISMI. It appeared that eight muggles—all of whom were professional mercenaries—had placed a British national who was living in Rome under surveillance. After several days, they managed to take the blonde woman by surprise at local coffee shop. They quickly broke the small wooden stick she was carrying, and then injected her with an unknown substance that left her unconscious. These mercenaries left Rome in a stolen van. Once they were outside the limits of the city's wards they handed the woman over to a group of well-known wizards.

"We have determined that it was a Gringotts banker who sold the location of Narcissa Snape to these people," the Cardinal told the Goblin Ambassador.

"He and his entire clan will be executed at once. We will also provide any monetary compensation the Vatican requires."

"Send whatever you deem appropriate. However if I think the amount is too low, the fine will be doubled."

The Goblin Ambassador nodded, and quickly left by means of a Portkey.

The Cardinal turned to his three remaining guests. "What has been left out of these official reports is that once Narcissa Snape was handed over to these wizards she was taken to her son in Germany. Specifically to the Black Forest, and we all know what sort of things that go on in the Black Forest."

The German Ambassador was clearly terrified. Not just of Wiwa himself, but of his government's reaction to this mess. He had been given just one order when they sent him to Rome: keep the Vatican happy. "Please Cardinal Wiwa, my government has outlawed..."

"Do not lie to me. Return to Germany at once, and tell your masters that we are watching their actions closely. If there is a repeat of this outrage there will be dire consequences."

The German Ambassador disappeared five seconds later.

"I hope you don't expect us to cower in fear like those two," the French Ambassador remarked. "That's not going to happen."

"Yes, I am well aware of the fact that you are both fools."

The French Ambassador bristled and reached for his wand, but the Spanish Ambassador restrained him. "You must know our governments had nothing to do with the boy's plot against his mother."

"I know nothing of the sort. This Malfoy is still a teenager, and he has lived an isolated existence in the United Kingdom. He would have had no idea that there are muggle mercenaries specifically trained to deal with witches and wizards. And even if he did, he wouldn't have the slightest idea how to contact them. But your two countries would have known just how to arranged an operation like this. You provided him with transportation from France to German, and I wager you also gave him the exact ritual to use. A ritual in which he slaughtered his own pregnant mother!" Cardinal Wiwa raged.

"What if we did, old man?" the Frenchman asked scornfully. "There nothing you or your precious Catholic Church can do about it. Even the Dark Lord Grindelwald himself had nothing to fear from you."

"Gellert Grindelwald was wise enough to never provoke the Church. However both Spain and France are now complicit in the murder of a witch who was known to be under my personal protection," Cardinal Wiwa said.

"You have no proof of that," the Spanish Ambassador pointed out.

"The Holy Father disagrees with you. I have spoken with him at length about this subject, and he believes that this horrific outrage cannot go unpunished. So he has reluctantly declared a Holy War against France and the Spanish Empire."

"You can't be serious. The Catholic Church wasn't fought a magical war in centuries."

"Yes, but you would do well to remember how that last war ended," the Cardinal hissed. "Do you honestly believe the fairy tales you tell your children... that wizards themselves came up with the idea for the International Statute of Secrecy? No, it was an alliance between the muggle monarchies and the Vatican which forced the Statute down your throats under the threat of annihilation. Now in your arrogance you have started another war between us. You are to leave Italy at once. If you remain here any longer you will both be killed."

"There must be some way to rectify this situation—some diplomatic solution we can reach," the Spanish Ambassador pleaded.

"It is too late for that. Now go, and may God have mercy on your souls. You shall be meeting Him soon enough."

The Cardinal's personal aide emerged from under a Disillusionment Charm after the last two ambassadors left. "Do you think the Goblins and the Germans will actually remain neutral?"

"The Goblins will. They enjoy nothing more than profiting from a war between wizards," Cardinal Wiwa replied. "The Germans will also remain neutral. They have seen more than their fair share of wars in the recent past, and they will do nearly anything to avoid another one. However there is a fanatical minority in their country which will side with the purebloods. They and others like them from Eastern Europe will provide a ready source of manpower for our enemies."

"And what are our chances of success in a war against France and the Empire?"

"I wish I knew. It will depend on how long the resistance lasts in the United Kingdom before Minster Tonks is finally forced to surrender. Come Father Snape, we have much work ahead of us."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

"She has a wonderful arse," Andromeda said, glancing over towards Ginny Weasley.

The young witch was bent over a Pensieve along with Director Dawlish, Chief Auror Savage, and her brother Ron. It seemed that Draco Malfoy had taken his fiancée out to inspect the Auror encampments in France, and they were reviewing the memory in an attempt to estimate the numbers they would be facing during the invasion. It didn't look good.

"Her arse is no better than Luna's, and not in the same league as yours," Harry told the Minister of Magic with complete honesty.

"I hope your wife never hears you say that."

"Trust me, Luna feels the same way."

Andromeda gave up, and turned to a less pleasant subject. "What are we going to do with her? Throw her in prison? Arthur Weasley said he won't blame me if I did."

"I don't think I could take Ginny to the Cave. We spent too much time snogging for me to let her face a live basilisk again."

Despite what they might have told Rita Skeeter, the Ministry of Magic hadn't built a new prison after abandoning Azkaban. Instead Harry expanded the nearby cave Sirius Black had used during the Triwizard Tournament, and lined it with plain wooden shelves. He then bought a small basilisk from Nigeria and a large mirror. Any prisoners Minister Tonks wanted out of the way were petrified, and left on the shelves under a Fidelius Charm. Harry figured that it was safe enough since being petrified for a few months hadn't caused any negative side effects for Hermione or the other muggleborns. It was also cost-effective since the prisoners didn't need any guards or water or food.

"According to Ron, Ginny now realizes that agreeing to marry your nephew Draco was a mistake—something she did just to spite me," Harry said. "Let's snap her wand, and have her work as a volunteer at the St Lily's. They can always use an extra set of hands over at the hospital."

The four finally emerged from the Pensieve, and they all looked grim.

"Auror Weasley, give me your sister's wand," Andromeda said. "Miss Weasley, as much as I might like to order your execution, Auror Potter has convinced me to spare your life. Instead you will work fourteen hours a day at the Lily Evans Hospital doing whatever menial tasks the Healers assign you. You will also live here in Hogsmeade with your brothers; they should be able to keep you from accepting any more dangerous marriage proposals. If you attempt to leave Hogsmeade the enchanted necklace you have on will kill you by strangling you to death. I would also warn you against trying to remove it."

"Let me guess: death by strangulation," Ginny said as she fingered the thick silver chain around her pale neck.

"That is correct. As for your wand..." Andromeda casually snapped it in half. "I hope you understand how precarious your position is. Auror Weasley, take your sister back to your apartment so that she can settled in before reporting to work tomorrow."

After Ginny and Ron left, Harry turned to the Chief Auror Savage. "Well, that what is your take on those memories?"

"They match up with the numbers we have heard about from our spies in France," Savage replied. "Even with the foreign reinforcements we are still outnumbered three-to-one, and that's counting kids like Ron Weasley who have a minimal amount of training."

"The Exiles and their European allies want this war over as quickly as possible before anyone realizes that they are using French and Spanish Aurors to conquer the United Kingdom," Andromeda reasoned. "That is why the have assembled such overwhelming numbers. They know that a foreign invasion combined with the ICW massacre could trigger the formation of an international coalition against them, so they want to defeat us before the rest of the world can respond."

"So my plan is still our best option," Dawlish said. "We have reinforced the wards around this valley, so all we have to is hold out until that international coalition arrives."

With the destruction of the Ministry of Magic in London all the wards which had protected the United Kingdom were destroyed along with it. Now the only large-scale wards they had were the ones recently erected around Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. The rest of the country was completely defenseless.

"We can't be certain will that anyone will be coming to your rescue," Savage countered. "Plus if there is a siege we would have to bring **our** allies into Hogsmeade, and I believe that is something we should avoid if possible. Potter is the only one who can exert any control over those rowdy foreigners—especially the Australians."

Harry had spent the most time training with the foreign Aurors, so he tried to defend them. "They aren't going to turn against us—they are our allies. And layoff the Australians, they're brilliant fighters."

But in truth the Aurors who had arrived to support them were a mixed blessing at best. The Indonesians were professionals, but they were all supporters of one of General Iskandar's political rivals. The General had shipped them off to the United Kingdom as part of a power struggle back in Indonesia, and they were not happy about it. The Japanese Aurors were all skilled wizards and witches. At least until they started drinking, which they tended to do **every** day.

On the other hand the Americans who volunteered all seemed to have a history of insubordination and a tendency to use excessive force. And as much as Harry hated to admit it, the behavior of the Australians made the Americans look like meek schoolgirls in comparison. The rambunctious Aussies had sort of invited themselves over when they heard a magical war was in the offing.

All the foreign Aurors were now based around Dumbledore's cabin, which Harry and his family had abandoned in favor of a penthouse apartment in the new Wireless building. Having them on the other side of the mountain kept their presence a secret, but more importantly it prevented them from demolishing Hogsmeade. Andromeda claimed that all the Aurors cared about were what she called the three F's: fighting, fornicating, and falling down drunk.

So far only two things had kept the situation from spiraling out of control. One was the company of Magical Mounties that the Canadians had loaned them. They were acting as a kind of military police, and breaking up the fights that occurred on an hourly basis. The second was the fact that Harry had yet to lose a duel during training. Many of the foreigners were eager to test the Boy-Who-Lived, and thanks to the unique magic of the Elder Wand he was still undefeated.

"We are hopelessly out-numbered, which means we can't face the Exiles in open battle. At the same time a siege would cause too much damage to Hogsmeade. If neither option will work, then what do you suggest we do?" Dawlish demanded.

"Potter, tell them," Savage said.

Harry took a deep breath. "My wife Luna has an idea that might work. She thinks we should recast Hadrian's Ward."

One day when Harry and Chief Auror Savage had been brainstorming for ways to increase security when Luna had informed them that she had figured-out how to recast Hadrian's Ward. It was strange how much respect a phoenix familiar earns a witch. If the idea had come from anyone but Luna, Savage would have just ignored it.

Hadrian's Ward and its muggle counterpart Hadrian's Wall had both been created by the Roman Empire to serve the same purpose. They weren't built to cut-off the barbarians in the north, but rather to control any traffic and tax any commerce between them and the rest of the island. The forty-nine Roman war-wizards who had created the Ward around what is now Scotland had blocked all forms of magical travel expect at one Gate which was always left open to travel through. If Hadrian's Ward was active again, the Exiles would still be able to enter Scotland, but they would have to do so at one specific spot.

"If Mrs Potter's plan works it would allow us to fight them in Northern England rather than here in Hogsmeade," Savage explained. "Plus the bottleneck would neutralize their advantage in numbers."

"No offense to your wife, but her idea is insane," Dawlish said. "Hadrian's Ward was destroyed by the great Merlin himself. How can we hope to recreate it without getting ourselves killed in the process?"

This was a valid point. Merlin was the most powerful wizard who ever lived, and he had an ego to match. He had seen Hadrian's Ward as a personal insult—something which seemed to suggest that Roman magic was more powerful than his own. So being a typical barbarian he wanted to destroy it, and despite the difficulties he had done just that. He was **Merlin** after all. Since then there had been a least a dozen known attempts to repair what the great wizard had destroyed, but all of them had failed. Failures which tended to kill the wizards and witches involved.

"I will do it myself," Harry said told them. "Luna believes she has figured out the mechanics of the Ward, and that's good enough for me."

After hearing this Andromeda let out a moan, and buried her face in her hands.

* * *

_I feel like I am in a room with one hundred clones of Cedric Diggory_, Father Severus Snape thought to himself. _I don't belong here_.

It wasn't that any of priests in attendance actually looked like the handsome Hufflepuff. In fact they represented every age and ethnic group Snape could imagine, but there were similarities nonetheless. These men were open and kind and full of compassion. Yet at the same time they were powerful and intelligent wizards—just like the dead Triwizard Champion he had once taught.

Cardinal Wiwa—who was tending to matters back at the Vatican—had given him a Portkey which brought to this estate on the island of Sardinia. This was the first meeting of the Order of Saint Lazarus that Snape had been permitted to attend. The Order itself was nearly a thousand years old, and had first been formed to treat lepers. This had provided the Church's wizards with a perfect cover story for their extreme secrecy. Few people wanted anything to do with lepers, and they gladly kept their distance to avoid catching the horrible illness.

These priests were powerful wizards, but they were also men of god and their military tactics reflected that dichotomy. The Order of Saint Lazarus sought to avoid bloody battles. Instead they planed on using their superb sources of intelligence to raid the magical districts of Southern France and Eastern Spain. These raids would destroy as much infrastructure and property as possible. The idea was to bleed the purebloods of their wealth, and force them to make concessions at the negotiating table. It was a sensible approach, but not the one Snape wanted.

"If I might make a suggestion."

"No, you may not Severus Snape," one of the older priests told him. "We all know of your story, and we are genuinely sorry for your loss. But at the same time we believe you have no right to wear that collar, and that you are only here because of Cardinal Wiwa's remorse. Remorse which you have skillfully exploited for your own ends."

"That is true, I am here because I want revenge. Revenge for my wife and unborn child that your Church allowed the purebloods to slaughter. But I can give you a way to hasten the end of this war. Will you reject it out of spite?" Snape asked them.

Most in the room were unhappy with his words, but none of them could find any fault with his logic. "What course of action do you propose?"

"Our enemy is not the European purebloods themselves, but rather the apathy of the rest of the magical world. We must rouse the world from that apathy. We must expose the purebloods for what they truly are: monsters. I know what kind of sick games they like to play while no one is watching. Get me into France with ten good wizards, and I will bring back all the evidence we need."

* * *

For the first time since Harry Potter had gone to Hogwarts looking for a babysitter, he woke up in bed without Luna. Last night she had given the boy a kiss and left with Heliopath to sleep in Teddy's room. It was an intense and even violent night for Harry and Andromeda, especially in comparison to the more gentle lovemaking that had been the norm since Luna's pregnancy had started to show. As a result it was a very confused young wizard who looked down at her in the morning.

"I'm not complaining, but what the hell happened lasted night?"

Andromeda reluctantly stopped what she was doing to answer his question. "Harry, I think there is an excellent chance you could die today. Luna doesn't share with my assessment, and she felt she would only be in the way last night."

"So what you were doing? Saying goodbye to me in case I die?"

"In a way," Andromeda told him as she crawled up the bed, and moved their bodies into position. They didn't have any more time for foreplay.

Harry thought about that for a moment as he began thrusting away like the horny teenager he was. "Do you love me?"

"I don't know."

"It's a simple question."

"No, it's not. I am grateful for our political partnership. It will allow me to avenge Ted and Nymphadora. And now that I have you properly trained, the sex is enjoyable. But am I in love with you? I don't know."

That actually caused the boy to stop mid-thrust, which was something of a minor miracle. "So you're just using me?"

"You weren't complaining last night." Andromeda knew at once she had gone too far, and quickly backpedaled by squeezing his arse. "Listen to me Harry, I have never seen one person love another as much as Luna loves you. You have Teddy and soon Hedwig will be born. Plus there is Hermione—she is more of a sister to you than mine ever were to me. You know that she loves you, and that she would do anything for you. You're not alone anymore."

That seemed to placate him, and their morning quickie resumed. Less than twenty minutes later they were dressed and eating breakfast. It was a riotous affair. Hermione's hair was completely out of control, which according to Harry was always a bad sign.

"Harry, you can't go through with this today! We need more time to check Luna's calculations."

"Hermione, we have been going over those calculations for the past two weeks. They are perfect," Lisa said. This earned her a murderous glare from her girlfriend.

Luna plan centered around the fact that Merlin hadn't simply destroyed the Ward, he had also set a deadly snare for anyone who tried to recast it. While the forty-nine Aurors who had volunteered were busy recreating the original work of the Romans war-wizards, Harry would find and then suppress Merlin's snare. Luna was positive that her equations had pinpointed the great wizard's errors, so Harry wasn't nervous about his job today. Well, not **that** nervous.

The preparations had taken all night. Not only did they have to position the Aurors and the ward stones in precise locations around the perimeter of Scotland, they also had to hide them from the muggles. The coördination necessary was a logistical nightmare, and they were at a loss to explain how the Romans had done the job eighteen-hundred years ago. They only managed it by using the new portable Floos that George had designed.

It seemed several of the muggleborns who worked in Hermione's lab introduced the depressed Weasley to the joys of cannabis, and he had become obsessed with Zippo lighters. (And muggle junk food.) George reasoned that if you could use a fireplace to send and receive messages, why not use the tiny flame of a lighter to do the same? It had taken several months of research, but even in the cold and damp Scottish winter the new portable Floos worked perfectly.

Harry himself was positioned along Hadrian's Wall at the spot there the Ward gate would be located. "Whenever you're ready." Hermione then passed the signal along to the group of messengers they had assembled.

As the Ward slowly came into existence, Harry was grateful that he had such a brilliant wife **and** that he had kept the Elder Wand. If Luna hadn't told him precisely what to do in advance he would have been dead after the first ten seconds. Even after all these centuries Merlin's snare continued to work with deadly efficiency. The power needed to counter it required all of Harry's strength and the extra edge the Elder Wand provided its rightful owner. But it did work, and by noon Hadrian's Ward was back in place.

Harry felt like he had been repeatedly hit by a lorry, and he dropped to the ground the second it was all over. Luna came over and placed his head in her lap. "You were wonderful," she whispered over and over as the Healers checked him for any injuries. Hermione and Lisa were both thrilled. They believed that using this as a case study they could opened up a whole new era in ward design.

Ron—who had been one of the Aurors watching over Harry while he worked—simply remarked: "I have never see anything like that before in my life. I guess Merlin didn't get to be Merlin by collecting Chocolate Frog Cards."

Now that the danger had passed Minister Tonks and Chief Auror Savage arrived from Hogsmeade for an inspection tour. The massive Ward worked just as described in the history books. You could just walk through the ten meter-wide Gate, but it was impossible for a witch or wizard to enter or leave Scotland anywhere else. One of the Aurors even tried a broom. He disappeared in midair and reappeared at the base of the Ward. Savage was already preparing the defensive works around the Gate, since they only had three days until the Winter Solstice.

"Well done," Andromeda said when she came over to see Luna and Harry. He was still lying helplessly on the ground.

"I'm afraid that is not good enough this time," Luna replied. A shocked Harry turned to look at his wife. This was the first time Luna had ever stood up to the older witch.

"You were right, and I was wrong."

"Yes, I was right," Luna said with a huge smile. "Thank you."

Harry wasn't sure what was going on between the two witches in his life, but even he realized something important had just happened.

* * *

"This is a mistake Malfoy," Bill said. "We should move directly against Hogsmeade. Sending our forces to your Manor in Wiltshire is a waste of time and Portkeys."

"Nonsense Delacour. We need a base of operations inside of the United Kingdom from which to launch our final attack. My Manor is the ideal place thanks to its size and the defensive wards."

Malfoy no longer spoke of returning to London. None of the purebloods would admit it, but the threats from the muggle government had forced them to give up on the capital city as a new home for the True Ministry of Magic.

"Those wards have could have been tampered with by our enemies while we have been here in France," Bill countered. "It's an unacceptable risk."

"Are you not a trained Curse Breaker my husband? Can't you determine if the wards have been tampered with by the Pretenders?" Fleur asked. She was standing too close to Malfoy, but he had gotten use to ignoring that over the past few weeks.

"A full scan of the Manor would take time. Time which we obviously do not have."

Malfoy was unimpressed with his argument. "I am telling you that the wards of Malfoy Manor are perfectly secure. I think we should move tomorrow on the Winter Solstice as we originally planned. That do you think Nott?"

"I agree—we need a secure base of operations."

Now Bill knew it was time to cut his losses. Since the ritual which bonded them together the triumvirate of Malfoy, Nott, and Delacour had moved against several of their political rivals among the Exiles. Over a dozen wealthy wizards had mysteriously disappeared, and their galleons were seized to fund the upcoming invasion. In the beginning the young leaders had been considered something of a joke, but now they were firmly in control of all the Exiles. And Malfoy and Nott had two votes to his one.

"Fine," Bill muttered. "We move tomorrow."


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

_This is the life_, Harry thought to himself—forgetting for a moment that another war could start in just a few short hours.

He was sprawled out in bed with his pregnant wife wrapped around him while they ate biscuits and watched _The Empire Strikes Back _on the WWTV. Harry was under strict orders from the Healers to stay away from any strenuous activity following his collapse at Hadrian's Ward. But why were they watching a muggle movie?

Well, after sending all those galleons developing the magical television, neither Harry nor Hermione had given much thought to what they were going to actually show on the WWTV. Sure they had the _Magical News Today_ program, which was hosted by Arthur Weasley. Wizards and witches also found the _Daily Weather Report_ just as fascinating as their muggle counterparts did. That wasn't a problem, since they just stole the forecast from the BBC. Interviews with Minister Tonks were a favorite as well; being a beautiful witch could be very useful when it came to public relations.

But even stretching the news out with human interest stories filled only an hour each day, which left them with another hour of dead air. Original programing was expensive, and they would need to develop writers and actors first in any case. Ron suggested Quidditch matches, but that would have to wait until next season when more high-capacity Omnioculars were available. In desperation they began showing muggle movies cut up into hour-long episodes, and they proved to be an unexpected hit.

Everyone thought that muggle fantasy movies were unrealistic, but any adaption of a Jane Austen novel quickly won over all the witches. Wizards seemed to prefer science fiction, hence _The Star Wars Trilogy._ Any time a character said the _**Force**_ the WWTV simply substituted the word _**Magic**_ in its place. It worked like so well they had to add a disclaimer about the dangers of creating your own lightsaber.

When they reached Darth Vader's climatic speech Luna made a disturbing comment. "Now everyone will think that you are Voldemort's son."

Harry never found out if his wife was joking or not, because his Floo Zippo chose that moment to began buzzing like an angry hornet. It was Andromeda, and even in the tiny green flame he could tell she was very upset.

"What's wrong?"

"Please come to St Lily's. It's important."

Harry and Luna quickly made the short trip from their apartment at the Wireless building to the hospital on foot. Magical transportation of any sort was discouraged during the late stages of pregnancy expect in cases of emergency. To their shock, the room they were directed to held not only Andromeda and most of the Weasley family, but also Severus Snape. He was dressed as a Catholic priest, and being treated for several severe injuries.

"It took you long enough," Snape snarled as Harry and Luna entered the hospital room.

"We are all here," Andromeda snarled right back at him. "Now tell me what the hell happened to Cissy."

Snape ignored her. "Do you all know about the Dark Mark? Lucius, myself, and many others believed that it was one of the keys to the Dark Lord's rise to power. It not only did it ensured our loyalty, but it also prevented the rivalries between the individual Death Eaters from erupting into open warfare."

"We don't need a history lesson from you," Arthur said.

"I'm afraid that you do Weasley. Draco Malfoy took his father's lesson to heart, and knew that he needed a way to protect himself from his fellow Exiles. He found—or was shown—a ritual which would bind Theodore Nott, your son **William Delacour**, and him together as permanent allies. However this ritual required the sacrificial death of someone very close to each of them."

Andromeda closed her eyes. "She was killed by her own son."

"Are you certain that Charles died at William's hand?" Arthur asked.

"All those years you and your family looked down at me with your self-righteous sense of superiority, yet your son tortured and murdered his own brother." Ginny began sobbing loudly, but Snape didn't stop. "Charles was kept fully conscious and felt every cut that was made into his flesh. But that wasn't all—while William was doing this he was also watching it happen to my wife. My pregnant wife!"

By now Luna was sobbing as well, and as Harry held her he couldn't imagine what he would do if someone tried to hurt her and little Hedwig like that. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss Professor Snape. Is there anything you need?"

"I need nothing. What I want is revenge." Snape took a second to compose himself, and then handed Andromeda a package. "Here are several Omniocular recordings showing the purebloods at their most depraved. Several priests—real priests unlike himself—died making those recordings. I was almost killed as well. Perhaps they can be of some use in your propaganda war. See that the Vatican gets a complete set of copies. Now before I left France I learned that Draco Malfoy intends to reclaim his Manor tomorrow, and that presents us an opportunity. How many Aurors can you spare?"

Harry glanced over at Andromeda, who gave him a slight nod. She hadn't shed a single tear after hearing the news about her sister. "If you are looking to make a raid down into England, I have just the group of Aurors for the job."

* * *

As the sun finally rose on the misty morning of the Winter Solstice hundreds of Portkeys flared into existence along the boundary of Malfoy Manor. Draco might have lacked any experience in magical warfare, his French and Spanish allies knew exactly what they were doing. The Aurors quickly established a secure perimeter, and waited as the team of Curse Breakers began their inspection of the exterior of the Manor. The process took over an hour to complete.

"Delacour, I trust everything is in order?" Malfoy asked in his most condescending tone of voice.

"It appears to be," Bill replied. "Shouldn't the Lord of the Manor be the first to enter before we allow the rabble to get dirt on the carpets?"

"No, the Aurors will make a clean sweep of the interior as planned," Malfoy said—ignoring the fact that he was being called a coward.

* * *

"You know, Lily would have been proud of you for building that hospital in Hogsmeade," Snape told Harry as they hid beneath an Invisibility Cloak just a few meters away from invading army of Aurors. "She would have also been pleased that you named it after her. Your mother was as just hungry for recognition as that insufferable know-it-all Hermione Granger. She was just better at hiding it from everyone. Everyone except for me."

Harry was afraid Snape might still be under the influence of the various Potions the Healers gave him last night. But he was **terrified** then he saw the endless stream of Aurors arrive. To say they were outnumbered was a bit of an understatement.

"Do you really think this is the time to be discussing my mother?"

"What better time is there?" Snape asked philosophically.

Given what the poor wizard had gone through recently there was no way for Harry to answer that question, so he didn't even try. "When are you going to activate the..."

"Calm down. We just have to wait a few more seconds until they are in position," Snape said as he reached out with his wand to activated the cluster of runes they were hiding next to. They were linked directly to the Manor itself.

The Sorting Hat hadn't placed Severus Snape in Slytherin for nothing. Over the years while he was having an affair with Lucius Malfoy's wife, he was also slowly installing secrets holes to the extensive wards surrounding Lucius Malfoy's Manor. Using these holes Snape could control the extensive wards around the Manor, and he had shut them all down before Draco and his friends arrived. Now that the Curse Breakers were done with their inspection, he had just turned them all back on. Lucius had poured a huge amount of galleons into protecting his own skin, and as a result his Manor was a veritable deathtrap.

There were the classics like gargoyles, golems, and suits of medieval armor charmed to attack intruders—but that was just the beginning. All of the house plants served a dual purpose: they were pleasing to look at, but they could also poison anyone standing nearby. Certain doors could slam shut with enough force to crush bones, while many of the carpets could quickly roll up and suffocate anyone standing on them. The library even held several dozen of copies of the _Book of Monsters_, that old classic from Harry's third year.

And the kitchen... well, the kitchen was a nightmare all by itself. Being hacked to death by a dull enchanted spoon was just as painful as it sounded. The bathrooms were even worse: who wants to be drowned in a dirty loo by enchanted towels? The Aurors who were unlucky enough to have entered Malfoy Manor that morning all faced horrible deaths. Even standing too close to the building was lethal when the Malfoy shrubbery went on the offensive.

Just as Snape had anticipated, Draco panicked and ordered an attack on his own Manor—unaware that it was completely empty. The formerly secure perimeter slowly began to fall apart as the Aurors turned to face an enemy they believed was inside the Manor. Unfortunately they had just turned their backs on the two hundred Australian and American Aurors that Harry had bought with him from Hogsmeade.

"Potter, give the order," Snape whispered.

Harry used the Elder Wand to gentle tap his Floo Zippo, which sent a silent signal to his Aurors. When they received that signal the morning took on a hellish green hue as literally hundreds of Killing Curses began flying. Even well-trained Aurors tended to panic when they saw that green light, so now there was total pandemonium.

Harry was just about to join in the attack when Snape grabbed his arm. "Signal the retreat."

"Are you crazy? We got them right where we want them."

"You idiot. What you have is an enemy which vastly outnumbers you, and one with a superior tactical position. They will quickly recover, and when they do they will crush us. Now signal the retreat."

Harry thought about it for a second, and realized that Snape was right. He swallowed his pride and again tapped his Zippo. The trip north was brutal. They hadn't had time to make precise Portkeys, so his people ended up slamming against Hadrian's Ward. The shaken Aurors quickly made their way across the barren landscape to the Ward Gate where Chief Auror Savage was waiting for them.

"We just gave the Exiles a bloody nose," Harry told his superior. "I think we are about to have some very angry company."

* * *

The French and Spanish Aurors were well-disciplined veterans. It only took them a few minutes for to realize that Malfoy Manor was empty, and that the enemy force which attacked them from rear had suddenly vanished. They soon had the situation under control, and began tallying up the number of injured and dead.

When Bill heard the final numbers he began to laugh hysterically. "What a fucking brilliant way to start a war."

Malfoy wasn't a simpleton. After a disaster like this he knew he needed a victory, and if he didn't get one soon he could kiss his leadership position goodbye. "Our attack on Hogsmeade goes ahead as planned."

"You can't be serious," Bill said. "We just got our heads handed to us. We need to regroup before we can even think about attacking."

Lucius had taught his son never to allow a minor setback to distract him from achieving his ultimate goals, and in Draco Malfoy's mind the deaths of a few hundred foreign Aurors was definitely a **minor** setback. So he decided to press forward.

"Whoever set this trap up ran away like cowards. We know from our spies among the Pretenders that we have a huge advantage in numbers. We must attack and destroy them now before they can try any more clever maneuvers like this one."

Bill had seen enough bloodshed already. "Fine, be my guest. I will stay here, and you can lead the Aurors north against Hogsmeade."

Another one of Lucius's lessons was to never place yourself in personal danger—not if you could avoid it. "No, I will remain here in overall command. Nott will lead the vanguard of the attack."

* * *

Since Harry and the forty-nine Aurors had recast Hadrian's Ward three days ago, Chief Auror Savage hadn't slept a wink. He knew that this trick was only going to work once, and they would have to be ready if they wanted to fully exploit it.

There was also the need to maintain the International Statute of Secrecy. Two muggle roads had been closed, and they had cast an immense number of Notice-Me-Not Charms between Newcastle and the Irish Sea. Still, Savage had a sinking feeling that it would be impossible to hide a magical battle of this size from the muggles and their technology. They only had a few Obliviators left, and they all were going to be busy over the next few hours.

"Are you sure the Exiles will attack today?" Savage asked Harry.

Snape answered for him. "I have known Draco Malfoy since he was a boy, and I have no doubt that he will want to destroy Hogsmeade in retaliation for the insult we just gave him. He won't think about the possible consequences of his actions; he will simply lash out."

"No offense Snape, but aren't you supposed to be dead?" Savage asked. "And if you aren't dead shouldn't I be arresting you for the murder of Albus Dumbledore? And why are you wearing that outfit?"

Harry quickly stepped in since it was clear that three days without sleep was affecting Savage's judgment. "Dumbledore ordered Snape to kill him. The Headmaster was going to die anyway from a painful curse on his hand, and he wanted to maintain Snape's cover as a spy for Voldemort. I have the memory in my Pensieve if you want proof. And yes, why are you wearing that outfit?"

"Cardinal Wiwa—with blessing of the Pope—allowed me to take the Rite of Ordination. Thus I am technically a priest of the Roman Catholic Church."

"I had no idea you were a Christian," Harry said.

"I am not."

Before they could pry any more information out of Snape, they heard the piercing sound of several alarms. It was the signal that Hadrian's Ward was now being struck by Portkeys.

Savage activated his Zippo. "Remember men, we allow them to find the Gate, and to start bringing their people through it. Then—and only then—do we begin our counterattack."

* * *

Despite their professional training, the foreign Aurors under Theodore Nott's command were caught completely off guard by the existence of Hadrian's Ward. Few outside of the United Kingdom had ever heard of the ancient magical artifact, and those who did know about it believed it had been destroyed more than a thousand years ago by Merlin himself. The dispersed Aurors slowly formed into small groups, and then larger and larger ones. After wandering about aimlessly for an hour someone finally found the Ward Gate by accident.

"What is this thing?" asked Felix Antonio, the Commander of the Spanish Aurors. He was almost as young as Nott, but had been given command because his uncle was an influential Ambassador. "I never seen such a powerful ward this size before."

Nott had always taken regular naps during the History of Magic, so he had no idea himself. "I don't care what it is. Let's just get through it so we can continue on to Hogsmeade," he replied. The order seemed reasonable enough. A sizable group of Aurors had already passed through the Gate without being harmed in any way.

The Spanish Commander wasn't so sure. "I think we should hold our position until we figure out exactly what this thing is."

Regrettably neither one of these ideas was going to work. For hidden in the ground beneath them was a crude minefield composed of overcharged ward stones. These improvised mines were highly unstable and several had gone off prematurely, but they only had to last for a day. Now that the enemy Aurors were standing on top of them, Savage sent out a magical pulse which caused them to explode. Hundreds of Aurors were killed instantly.

"Raise the Anti-Apparition Wards!" the Chief Auror shouted over the chaos of the explosions.

Over the past three days Savage and his wizards had built several underground bunkers both to the north and south of the Ward Gate. Disguised as small grassy hills, these bunkers supplied the Aurors with protection while also providing them with excellent fields of fire. Minister Tonks had stressed several times that she didn't believe in the rules of engagement as most wizards saw them. Duels between individuals were to be avoided at all costs. Her orders were for the Aurors to stay behind the protective cover of the underground bunkers while they killed as many of the Exiles as possible.

Andromeda Tonks was a very hard witch, and it was difficult for Savage to picture her as the mother of someone like Nymphadora Tonks. That girl had been so kind and fun-loving during her Auror training.

Now that they had the enemy trapped and confused, spells erupted from dozens of small trap doors in the new bunkers. The Exiles attempted to return fire, but they had no obvious targets to aim for. Unlike Malfoy, Theodore Nott was more than willing to lead his Aurors into battle, and as a result he died with them. Now on top of everything else, the Exiles were left without a field general.

"Stop returning fire, Shield Charms only!" Commander Antonio screamed in desperation. "Stop returning fire, Shield Charms only!"

The few remaining officers rallied around the tall Spaniard. "Order your Aurors to retreat back to Wiltshire when they reach the edge of the Anti-Apparition Wards. We are in no shape to attack anyone right now," Antonio told them.

Despite the success of the ambush, the Exiles and their allies did manage to maintain some semblance of discipline. They stopped firing on the bunkers, and were hiding behind their Shield Charms as they slowly made their way to the edge of the wards.

But Savage had one last card left to play: the Indonesian battle-carpets. When they had arrived in the United Kingdom, the Indonesians had started more than one duel by referring to brooms as **suicide-sticks**. They had a point. In combat someone riding a broom was leaving themselves completely open to attack. For the Indonesians there was only sane way to engage in aerial warfare, and that was on a magic carpet. They had developed a three-person system: one wizard to fly, one wizard to Shield, and one wizard to curse the poor sods below.

Now over seventy of these battle-carpets began strafing the Exiles who were retreating on foot. What had been a rout quickly turned into a massacre. Of the three thousand Aurors who had been ambushed at Hadrian's Ward, less than a thousand managed to retreat back to Malfoy Manor.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

"We lost just over a hundred Aurors: twenty-two carpets were shot down, and one of the underground bunkers partially collapsed," Harry told Minister Tonks and Director Dawlish. The pair had arrived at the site of the battle less than hour after it ended, and he was briefing them on the situation because an exhausted Chief Auror Savage had collapsed about twenty minutes ago.

"How many of the Exiles did we manage to kill?" Andromeda asked as she stared at the large field of fresh corpses.

"We think close to two thousand, but we can't be sure without a proper head count."

"That means we are now evenly matched with the Exiles. What about a counterattack?"

Harry thought about it for a minute. "I have no idea what would happen if we hit Malfoy Manor again. We've been watching the place twenty-four hours a day, and Bill...excuse me, William Delacour and the rogue Unspeakables have been setting up some crazy defensive wards. I don't think there is any chance that Father Snape's trick will work again. If you order an attack there will be casualties—maybe a lot of them—and we really can't afford to lose any of our Aurors."

Director Dawlish's face went red. "If we hadn't shut down the Department of Mysteries..."

"Hold your tongue!" Andromeda snapped.

"What should we do with the dead?" Harry asked. "Wouldn't it be proper to collect them for burial or something?"

"I agree with Potter. They are wizards and witches: let us show them the respect they deserve," an angry Dawlish added.

"You do know that these people planned to do when they sacked Hogsmeade?" Andromeda asked. "They were going to torture, rape, and murder our people. And you want me to treat them with respect?"

Before Dawlish could answer, Harry's Floo Zippo began buzzing loudly. It was Ron. He and the other scouts were on brooms, circling the battlefield at a distance of about five kilometers.

"We've got a problem: the muggles are coming this way."

"How many?" Harry asked his old friend.

"All of them, I think."

"Dawlish, make yourself useful and round-up anyone who can cast a Memory Charm without causing permanent brain damage. You're the Director of Magical Law Enforcement, so do your job!" After Dawlish made a hasty retreat, Andromeda turned to Harry. "The Obliviators will only buy us a few hours. I want you to go to London, and bring the Prime Minister back here for a chat."

"What if he doesn't want to come with me?"

"It's not a request. If he doesn't want to come then find a way to motivate him."

Five minutes later Harry did return with Prime Minster Blair, who promptly fell to his knees and vomited up his lunch.

Harry cringed. "Sorry about that, Sir. Apparition is always rough the first time around."

"Now you know how witches feel," Andromeda commented.

Blair was not amused by her joke. "What the hell is going on? I've had hundreds of reports over the past hour that someone—possibly extraterrestrials—is invading Northern England, and you think this is an proper time to kidnap me?"

Harry gestured to the battlefield all around them, and the Prime Minister turned around to look. "Oh my God, what has happened here?"

"What to you think has happened? We just had a major military engagement with the group of foreign wizards who have invaded the United Kingdom," Andromeda told him. "I was very clear when I instructed you to keep your military units at a safe distance, so why are they moving towards us?"

"As I told your predecessor, I do not take orders from the Minister of Magic. You are my subordinate."

"_Crucio_!"

The Unforgivable only made contact with the muggle for a brief second before Harry blocked it with a slab of Transfigured marble. "Andromeda, what do you think you are doing?" he yelled over the screams of the Prime Minister.

She glared at him before turning towards her loyal chief-of-staff. "Percy, are you ready for your mission?"

"Yes, Minister Tonks." Percy careful sliced off a locket of the Prime Minster's short hair and placed it in a glass vial, which he then drank. After the transformation he took off his robe—underneath was a muggle business suit. "What do you think? Do I pass muster?"

Harry was impressed. "You must have been practicing for a while. The voice is an excellent match."

"Thank you. I'm to order the muggle military forces to stand down, and withdrawn from this area straightaway?"

"Yes, but that is all you are going to do. Is that absolutely clear?" Andromeda asked. Percy gave her a quick nod and vanished with a loud pop.

Between the thousands of dead bodies, the agonizing pain of that magical curse, and being replaced by a shape-shifting wizard the Prime Minster found himself a bit overwhelmed. But he quickly recovered, and asked a very logical question. "Are you going to kill me and take over the country?"

"It's a tempting idea, but no," Andromeda admitted. "You will be taken back to London in a few hours, but it is long past time you learned what is really going on. Harry take him to the Wireless building in Hogsmeade, and show him Omniocular recordings that Snape brought us from France. Let him see with his own eyes the kind of monsters we are fighting."

"Wait..." the Prime Minister began, but it was already too late as Harry took him by the arm and Side-Along Apparited to Hogsmeade.

"It takes a big set of brass cojones to use an Unforgivable Curse on your own Prime Minister," Secretary Bates said as she walked up to Andromeda. The Head of the American Aurors had sent a message requesting permission to inspect the battlefield. Bates was accompanied by a dozen American Aurors who were all carrying strange metallic instruments. "May we begin our inspection?"

"What do those instruments actually do?"

"They allow us to determine the nationality of the dead Aurors. The method is accurate over ninety-percent of the time."

"Then by all means go ahead," Andromeda said. "I'm interested in hearing that bit of information myself."

As her Aurors worked Secretary Bates remarked: "You know the magical odds-makers in Las Vegas are going to be very upset today. The smart money thought this war would be over by now."

"There are wizards and witches who are actually wagering on the destruction of the United Kingdom?"

"Don't be offended—there is an ongoing bet as to how long I'm going to last before I die of a heart attack." the plump Bates said as her Aurors began their analysis.

The process took several hours, and the individual instruments had to dump their findings into a much larger contraption the Americans had brought along. Finally a short Native American witch walked up to Secretary Bates with a long roll of parchment. Her uniform was spotless, a fact which Andromeda found offensive. In the magical world the United States and the Spanish Empire had been mortal enemies for two-hundred years, so why weren't they contributing more to this damn war?

"Madam Secretary. Minister Tonks. Please keep in mind that these numbers are rough estimates. According to our analysis two hundred of the dead are from the United Kingdom, around eight-hundred are Spaniards, and a thousand are French."

"Report back to Embassy—I will be along shortly," Bates said. After her Aurors vanished she turned to Andromeda. "The Spanish Empire has never suffered a defeat of this magnitude before today. Do you have any idea what this means to the balance of power in our world?"

"Hopefully it means your country will grow a set of brass cojones, and send us some more bloody reinforcements."

Bates laughed, and handed Andromeda an antique fountain pen. "This Portkey will take you to Iceland in three days. By then I should have some good news for you. And this time leave your young bodyguard at home where he belongs."

* * *

"You really shouldn't kill Draco Malfoy just yet," Bill told the Spanish Ambassador Jose Antonio.

After the disastrous retreat back to Wiltshire, the Commander of the Spanish Aurors had used the Floo to contact his powerful Uncle in Paris, and reported the news of their defeat. The Ambassador had quickly taken a Portkey to the United Kingdom with every intention of torturing Malfoy to death.

"What possible reason could you have for sparing his life? His criminally stupidity has cost the Empire the lives of hundreds of Aurors. It will take literally decades to replace those wizards and witches—if they can be replaced at all."

"If he dies the Malfoy fortune goes to his relative Teddy Potter, who happens to be Harry Potter's son. I repeatedly told him to make a new will, but he was too busy sleeping my wife to bother," Bill explained. "Besides, Malfoy also makes for a useful figurehead among the Exiles. You do want to be able to hide who is really holding the strings, don't you?"

"You are asking me a spare the life of your wife's lover? William Delacour, you are a very cold wizard," the Ambassador remarked.

"Perhaps. Will you be sending us the Easter European reinforcements, or are you going to write-off the United Kingdom as a lost cause for the pureblood movement?"

Ambassador Antonio remained silent as he poured himself a glass of Malfoy's finest Firewhiskey and polished it off in single shot. He then stared into the room's roaring fireplace for several minutes before finally giving his answer.

"No, we **must** have our country's support. If we retreat it will be a signal to our enemies around the world that we are vulnerable. Only by standing together do we purebloods have the strength needed to weather this current crisis. The Eastern Europeans will arrive within the month. How long will it take you to bring down Hadrian's Ward? And please be honest with me—your life depends on it."

"I have been talking with the Unspeakables, and we should have it down in two or three weeks," Bill replied. "How many Aurors should we be expecting?"

"I'm afraid these wizards aren't professional Aurors. but don't worry. There will be more than enough of them, and with their special brand of expertise you should have no problem burning Hogsmeade and Hogwarts to the ground."

* * *

_Locking yourself up in a prison is a pretty stupid thing to d_o, Bill thought to himself the next day as he studied one of the massive ward stone which supported Hadrian's Ward.

And that is exactly what the Pretenders had done: locked themselves up in an eighteen-hundred year old prison. The ancient Ward had been designed to keep the various barbarian tribes _inside_ of Scotland, so all the key access points to the ward stones were located _outside_ of Scotland where he and the Unspeakables could easily study them. Study and destroy them.

"Well, what do you think?" Bill asked. While the Unspeakables were brilliant, there was one downside to working with them: they all insisted on wearing those stupid cloaks. That meant you had no idea who you were talking to.

"Your estimate was correct—three weeks at the most. This Ward is powerful, but it does follow a standardized Roman emanation pattern. It can be defeated with a cascading wave, which is probably how the great Merlin himself did it."

In truth Hadrian's Ward was unique only in its massive size. Unlike other cultures, the Romans had made no effort to hide their tombs or their military wards. Since the fail of the Roman Empire thieves—or freelance Curse Breakers as Bill preferred to call them—had developed multiple strategies to defeat their wards. It had been one of the first subjects covered by the Goblins masters during his training at Gringotts.

The Unspeakable continued to outline his ideas, and for a short time all of William Delacour's problems faded away and he was once again Bill Weasley. Instead of standing in the damp Scottish winter he was back in the blistering Egyptian desert, figuring out how to plunder the tomb of some long forgotten pharaoh. Why couldn't he have married a nice pliable English witch—someone like Susan Bones? She would have never gotten him into a mess like this.

His woolgathering was interrupted when one of their lookouts sent a warning flare into the sky. "It's about time. The Egyptian Aurors never took this long to respond to an illegal dig."

"The Pretenders must first pass through that Ward Gate, and then travel along the coastline before they can finally reach us," the Unspeakable pointed out.

"True enough. Are our people ready?"

The fight was a short one. The Exiles knew that there would be a numerous raids if they attempted to destroy the Hadrian's Ward, so they had brought along enough of their own Aurors to defend the Unspeakables while they worked. Rather than face heavy casualties, the raiding party from Hogsmeade quickly retreated.

Bill knew they would be back again, but it wouldn't matter in the long run. There was no way they could stop him from bring down this Ward without facing the Exiles in a prolonged battle. And that was something the Pretenders wanted to avoid, since the distances were too great and their numbers were too few.

* * *

"Why can't I go with you?" Harry whined for the tenth time that morning. The boy was still a teenager, so whining still came naturally to him.

"Because you weren't invited," Andromeda told him. "I can't imagine why they would want to exclude you though. You were such a charmer during our last meeting in the Chamber of Secrets."

"But you will be completely defenseless."

"Harry, I graduated from Hogwarts before you were even born, and I was tutored extensively in the Dark Arts at home. As long as I have a wand in my hand I am never defenseless."

"Take Heliopath," Luna offered.

"Thank you. But he is your familiar, not mine."

"Heliopath saved you at the ICW because he knows that I loved you. He will take you to Iceland if I asked him nicely enough, and he will be there to bring you home if something goes wrong. Besides, just think of the impression you will make when you show up in a giant ball of fire," Luna said with a smile. "It's settled then. Now stop being such an arse Harry—you are upsetting little Hedwig."

"Sorry Hedwig," the boy said as he gently rubbed his wife's belly. He became a pushover whenever Luna mentioned their soon to be born daughter, and the little witch enjoyed exploiting that weakness.

"And..."

"**And** I'm sorry Andromeda," Harry added. "I know you can defend yourself. I just don't want anything to happen to you. What is the point of having something incredible like the Elder Wand if I can't use it to protect the people that I love?"

The poor boy was so sincere that Andromeda couldn't help but be touched. "Luna, has Harry ever told you the real story about how he lost his virginity?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't mind hearing about it again. Or better yet, how about a reenactment right here on the table. I know that is something I would enjoy watching."

Luna did a bit more than watch. The witch was soon pressed up against Andromeda's naked back, and her soft lips and delicate fingers never stopped roaming. Harry performance had also improved since their first time in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, and he was now wonderfully responsive to her needs. She had turned these two lost and innocent souls into her sex slaves, and that was just as evil as any of Bellatrix's crimes. But the pleasure was so exquisite that Andromeda couldn't bring herself to care.

* * *

Iceland was one of those oddities the wizarding world had a tendency to produce. Unlike most counties around the world the island's magical population was almost as large as its muggle population. In fact Iceland was home to the only magical city in the world, as opposed to the more typical small towns.

Yggdrasil had started off a just another magical village during the Dark Ages, but over the centuries it had become a sanctuary for wizards and witches who fled from Europe's endless magical wars. It was now a widely respected center of magical education, and did a thriving business in the creation of runes. Because of that there was a constant stream of students and business-wizards entering the city, which made it an ideal place to hold a clandestine meeting.

Luna was right—appearing in a giant ball of fire was an excellent way to get the attention of the four other people present. They were meeting into one of the many extinct lava tubes where Yggdrasil had been built over the centuries. Some compared the underground city to an overgrown ant colony, but the polished stone walls looked pleasant enough to Andromeda.

"I must say Fawkes, you look much better than the last time I saw you," Cardinal Wiwa commented.

The phoenix deliberately ignored the great wizard. "I am sorry, but he only answers to Heliopath now," Andromeda explained.

"He always was a prima donna, but what can you expect after spending a lifetime with that old poof Dumbledore," Secretary Bates said.

The Cardinal rolled his eyes. "And they say the Catholic Church is homophobic. Minister Tonks, please allow me to introduce you to Minister Lacerda from Brazil."

Her Brazilian counterpart gave her a deep bow, and even kissed her hand. He was handsome, but gray hair no longer appealed to her. "It is an honor to meet the witch who lead her people to such a great victory over those wretched Spanish dogs."

"Thank you, but we couldn't have done it without the help of others," Andromeda said while glancing in Secretary Bate's direction.

"Is it true that you expressly ordered your Aurors not to use Stunners?" asked the fifth and final member of the meeting.

He was a truly nasty piece of work. Every centimeter of his light brown skin was covered with either ritual tattoos or scars, and he was wearing a necklace and rings made from human bones. The wizard's robe was leather, and according to some stories that leather came from Spanish Aurors he had skinned alive. But worst of all were his eyes: they were a pair of bottomless black holes.

_The Dark Lord would have soiled himself if he had ever met this __wizard_, Andromeda thought. "Yes, it is true. I believe Stunners have no place in this war."

Cardinal Wiwa was now looking at the both of them with a sad expression on his face—as if he wanted to argue her point but could not. After all, the bastard had let Cissy die. "This is Cahuella."

Hearing that name spoken aloud was a shock for Andromeda. To actually be in the same room with the legendary leader of the Guerrillas. Most muggles assumed that the term _**guerrilla**_ had originated with Napoleon's invasion of the Spanish peninsula, but in truth it was far older. The _**little war**_ was how the magical Spanish Empire condescendingly described the indigenous rebellion in South America. The Guerrillas had taken what was originally an insult, and turned it into a name the Empire now feared.

"Did your people actually kill eight hundred Spanish Aurors?" Cahuella asked as he continued to stare at her with those horrible eyes.

"Among the two thousand dead, eight hundred were from Spain." Somehow Andromeda managed to kept her voice from cracking. If she wanted to work with these people in the future, she could not afford to show them the slightest weakness.

Apparently Cahuella saw what he needed to. "My Guerrillas will support your plan," he said to Secretary Bates and Cardinal Wiwa.

"Excuse me, but could one of you please explain to me what is going on here. Even after the losses we inflicted on the Exiles at Hadrian's Ward, they still have just as many Aurors as we do. I came here to ask for more reinforcements—does this mean we are going to get them?" Andromeda certainly hoped so. Even the mere possibility of facing the magical Guerrillas of South America would send the Exiles running back to France.

Cardinal Wiwa countered her question with one of his own. "Do you know about the large number of Eastern Europeans who are headed towards the United Kingdom?"

"That is news to me."

"The purebloods have hired every magical mercenary between the Ural Mountains and the Rhine River."

"What kind of numbers are we talking about?" Andromeda asked.

"A thousand or so," Wiwa replied. "Unlike your average Auror they have very little training, but they are all vicious killers."

After the Second World War, the persecution that Stalin subjected his own wizards and witches to had spread to the other nations behind the Iron Curtain. Some countries like Bulgaria managed to form legitimate governments, but in other countries wizards had turned to the black market to survive. And where you have black markets, you have criminal gangs. Over time some of these magical criminals made common cause with the purebloods, and began acting as part-time mercenaries. They were notorious for their brutality.

"If that is true, then you must help us," Andromeda pleaded.

"We intend to, but not directly," Bates told her. "My people will not interfere in what they see as a European civil war, but there are other ways to deal with this problem."

The Guerrilla leader began to laugh. "Yes, your country gets to act as bait. Welcome to the club."

"Cahuella, enough! Minister Tonks, please hear us out." Cardinal Wiwa drew his short wand and created a glowing map of South America in the air. Six dots appeared up and down the western edge of the continent. "I take it you have heard of the Sendero Luminoso?"

"Are you actually going to tell me it's actually real?"

"Trust me Minister Tonks, it is very real," Cahuella hissed.

The Sendero Luminoso was the mysterious backbone of the Spanish Empire. It was supposed to be some kind of super-powered international Floo which linked Madrid with the fortresses of the six Viceroy who controlled large territories in South America. Unlike a regular Floo, it could transport over a hundred people at a time, and unlike Portkeys it was instantaneous. It was this advantage which allowed the Spanish Empire to maintain their dominance over South America despite their small numbers. They could quickly move their Aurors back and forth over vast distances to any hotspot where they were needed the most.

Wiwa continued: "You have dealt the Empire a severe blow, but rather than retreating they are redoubling their efforts to destroy you. The Order of Saint Lazarus is also conducting raids all over Western Spain and Southern France, and that is too drawing away more of their limited manpower."

"So let me guess: while the Spanish and French forces are busy in Europe annihilating the Untied Kingdom and fighting the Catholic Church the rest of you are going to attack them in South America. Your real goal is to destroy this Sendero Luminoso," Andromeda reasoned.

Minister Lacerda finally joined the discussion. "Yes, the combined forces of Brazil, the United States, and the Guerrilla irregulars will simultaneously attack all six of the Viceroy fortresses. We intended to not only destroy the Sendero Luminoso, but the entire Spanish Empire."

Andromeda closed her eyes. "You shouldn't be sharing this information with me. In fact it would have made far more sense for you to keep me in the dark. So...you must want something. Allow me another guess: you want Potter. Or more specifically you want his **Wand**. Isn't that right?"

Cardinal Wiwa had the grace to look embarrassed. "Yes, I will personally be leading the attack on Madrid. It is the home of their Imperial Guard, which is made up of their most powerful wizards. My men and I can defeat most of them, but not all of them. I will need Potter's... **Wand** with me if this plan is to work. All seven of parts of the Sendero Luminoso must be destroy simultaneously, or it will simply be rebuilt at a later date. If our attack fails the Spanish Empire will live to fight another day. This is our best chance to finish them off once and for all."

"That is not very Christian of you," Andromeda observed. "How do you expect me to convince Potter to leave his pregnant wife in Hogsmeade when we are about to be attacked by the Exiles and their mercenaries?"

"I'm sure you will think of something," Secretary Bates smirked.

That comment lead to a very short and nasty duel. The American witch was good, but she was also old and fat. On the other hand Andromeda in her prime as a witch. She was also a Black, and she had forgotten more about the Dark Arts than her opponent would ever know. By the end of the duel Bates was covered in bleeding boils and coughing-up chunks of her cursed lungs.

"You had that coming," Cahuella cackled.

"Silence!" Wiwa raged as his powerful aura flooded the room. "Minister Tonks, just tell Potter the truth. The only way you can hope to survive this war is for the Spanish to retreat from the United Kingdom. If he comes with me to Madrid I can assure you that we will cause so much destruction that they will be forced to recall their Aurors and the mercenaries. This plan can give us all what we want—if we all work together."


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

It was a sign of how desperate Draco Malfoy was that he didn't object when the American asked for a meeting in the middle of London. To be surrounded by this horde of filthy muggles made his skin crawl, but what choice did he have? While the old witch ate her revolting fish and chips, Draco studied the ward schematic of Hogsmeade she had given him. This information would greatly simplify their attack on the village—if it was genuine. But what was her real agenda? He didn't have time for a subtle interrogation, so he asked a straightforward question like a stupid Gryffindor.

"I know that American Aurors are in Hogsmeade helping the Pretenders, so why are you giving me this?" Draco asked.

"To be blunt, we feel that you are less of a threat to us than Harry Potter is. That is why my country would prefer that your little clique emerge victorious. Potter is too unstable to be running a powerful country like the United Kingdom. We feel that we could more easily do business with someone like you in the future."

This explanation appealed to Draco's inner Slytherin. "Potter is mentally disturbed, and I'm glad someone else finally noticed. However I must point out that when we attack Hogsmeade your Aurors will be in great danger. These mercenaries we've been forced to hire are impossible to control."

"I understand that, and their deaths are a... regrettable but necessary loss," the American said. "We won't hold it against you, if that is what you're worried about."

Of course that is what Draco was worried about—as if he cared about the deaths of some foreign Aurors. "I'm glad to hear that, and I hope we can continue this mutually beneficial relationship in the future."

"Mr Malfoy, that depends entirely on you. No one must ever learn of my government's involvement in your civil war. No one."

"Don't worry, I'm not interested in sharing credit. This victory will be mine alone."

As Draco left the muggle restaurant he couldn't have been more happy. William Delacour had managed to usurp the leadership of the Exiles, but with this new information that was going to change. He had already prepared a story about the dangerous solo mission he had undertaken to capture the ward schematic. Those idiots back at the Manor would eat it up with a spoon, especially that stupid Veela whore. That was something else he was looking forward to tonight. There was nothing better than having your way with the wife of a political enemy.

As Secretary Bates watched the inbreed moron walk out the door she crushed a feeling of remorse. The Aurors she had sent to Hogsmeade were troublemakers and incompetents for the most part, but they were still hers and she regretted losing them. Unfortunately those deaths were necessary if the military operation in South America was to be successful. The Spanish had to be kept occupied for a long as possible before they figured out that the United Kingdom just a diversion from the real action. As for betraying Andromeda Tonks and Harry Potter... well, she wasn't going to lose any sleep over that.

* * *

_All those people who talk about the miracle of childbirth are lying __through their teeth_, Harry thought as he held his wife's hand. _I am never going to have sex again. Ever. _

"I must say you are dealing with this better than I did when I had Nymphadora," Andromeda said. She was on the other side of the hospital bed, holding Luna's other hand.

That was true. Luna wasn't crying out in pain, or threatening to castrate her husband for getting her pregnant. Instead she was her usual serene self. Perhaps having a phoenix crooning in her ear was helping. Harry would be forever grateful to Heliopath—he didn't think he could handle a screaming wife at this point.

The delivery took several hours, and it was unbelievably messy. At first Harry had assumed that when a witch gave birth it would be somehow... magical. Maybe Hedwig would perform a spontaneous Apparition when she was ready to leave the womb, or that the Healers would delicately slip her a tiny Portkey. Andromeda thought his theories were hilarious, and once she stopped laughing she informed him that childbirth was the same for witches and muggle women. Magic of any kind was avoided in the delivery room since it might harm the child.

"Congratulations Mr and Mrs Potter, your beautiful daughter is a perfectly healthy witch," the Chief Healer of the hospital told them when it was finally over. It seemed that paying for the construction of the Lily Evans Hospital had certain benefits—like getting the best Healer on the staff to deliver your first child.

"I knew it: green eyes and blond hair," Luna said as little Hedwig—cleaned and wrapped in a blanket—was gently placed on her chest. Those few words seemed to take the last of her strength, and she quickly fell asleep.

"Don't be alarmed, there is nothing wrong with your wife," the Healer assured him.

But Harry wasn't really listening anymore. For him the only thing that existed in the entire world was his tiny daughter. While Luna slept, Hedwig was very much awake. She seemed curious about her new environment, a fact which Harry found endlessly fascinating. Finally her tiny green eyes closed.

"I will do it."

"Do what?" a sleepy Andromeda asked from a conjured chair across the room there she had been taking a catnap.

"I'll go with Cardinal Wiwa to Madrid," Harry said. "You are right. We have to force the Spanish Aurors to retreat, and attacking their capital is the best way to do that. I can see that now."

"I'm sorry, I wish there was another option. I really do."

Harry sighed. "You said you wanted to take Teddy home for the night. On your way out could you please tell everyone the good news, and send Hermione in."

After giving all three of them a kiss Andromeda left, and a few minutes later his best friend entered the hospital room. Of course she was crying. "Harry, I'm so happy for the both of you. Hedwig is an incredibly beautiful little girl."

Unfortunately all her blubbering woke Luna up. After carefully checking on Hedwig, she looked over at Hermione and smiled. "You know, Harry is in an excellent mood. This would be the perfect time to ask him if he would be willing to help you and Lisa."

"What kind of help do you need?" Harry asked. He had never seen Hermione's face so red before, and that was really saying something.

"Both Lisa and I were talking the other day. We want to start a family soon, and if we are both impregnated by the same wizard then all of our children would be brothers and sisters."

Now her blushes made sense. He looked at Luna, and she nodded her head. "I would be glad to help." He would be glad to help. Really glad. Hermione and Lisa were very attractive witches—especially when they were together.

Hermione must have heard something in the tone of his voice. "Harry James Potter! I am not asking you to do **that**."

Now he was confused. "I thought you said you wanted children?"

Luna decided to take pity on him. "You wouldn't actually have sexual intercourse with them. After all, they are lesbians. No, instead you would masturbate on to an enchanted spoon, and then they would insert it into their..."

"Please stop! I get the picture. If that is what you and Lisa want—and if Andromeda gives her blessing—I will be happy to donate when the time comes... er, bad choice of words." Now they were both laughing at him. "Hermione, could you please stay here with Luna and Hedwig for a few minutes? I really need to get some fresh air."

With that he Apparited to the rooftop garden. Harry had been up here on several occasions, and he had found the view of Hogsmeade to be soothing. But not tonight. A certain ginger witch was also on roof, eating her dinner alone.

"I heard the good news. Congratulations," Ginny offered.

"Thank you. I must say you look like shite."

"Minister Tonks wasn't lying then she said I would be working fourteen hours a day. And the Healers compete among themselves to see who can give me the worst jobs."

"You deserve it," Harry said as he turned to leave, but something made him stop. "I have to know: why did you to it? Of all the wankers in the world why did you agree to marry Draco Malfoy?"

"Because I knew it would piss you off," Ginny answered without a bit of remorse or shame.

"During the Battle of Hogwarts when I was walking out into the Forbidden Forest to die, do you know what I was thinking about? You. You and the children we would never get to have."

That hit Ginny hard. "Luna filled me in on the details—how she told you about my other boyfriends. I wish my stupid cow of a mother was alive just to I would kill her again."

"I can't believe you. Did your mother tell you to screw your other boyfriends while you were stringing me along? Is that your excuse? I needed you, and you played games with me. That is why I chose to marry Luna. She would never even think of treating me that way."

"I'm sorry."

She was crying now. But was it because she was truly sorry, or was it because she had lost out on her chance of becoming Mrs Ginny Potter? He honestly didn't know.

"Words aren't good enough this time. You owe me a Life Debt, and it's about time I collected," Harry snarled as he grabbed her by the arm, and used Side-Along Apparition to take them to Ollivander's new shop on the other side of Hogsmeade. "I know you are in here old man. I need a wand, and it can't wait until tomorrow morning."

The wand-maker emerged from the back room wearing an old evening robe. "Mr Potter. If I'm not mistaken you already have two of the finest wands in the world, so you must be here for Miss Weasley."

Ten minutes and ten galleons later, the two returned to Luna's hospital room at St Lily's. "Harry, what is going on?" his wife asked when she saw them.

"That's what I would like to know," Ginny said as she rubbed the spot on her arm where Harry had grabbed her.

"Hermione, I need your help. Ginny is going to take an Unbreakable Vow to protect Hedwig, Teddy, and Luna. With her life." Harry turned to glare at his old girlfriend. "If anything happens to them, you had better be dead."

"Harry, please don't do this," Luna told him.

"No, it's all right," Ginny said. "As Harry just reminded me, I owe him a Life Debt. He is well within his rights to demand this favor."

"Why are you doing this?" Hermione asked. "Unbreakable Vows can kill, especially ones that are too vague."

"I have to go on a mission," Harry replied. "Where I am going isn't important, but the fact that I wouldn't be here to protect my family is. Before I leave I'm getting you all out of the country. Ginny will be coming along as an extra wand."

"We've discussed this before. Running away won't work."

Hermione was right, they had discussed the idea of evacuating Hogsmeade at length. There were several problems with the idea. First of all they didn't have the galleons it would take to move that many people. And even if they did have the galleons, there wasn't a country in the world which would take in so many magical refugees, especially ones fleeing from a civil war. Finally even if the did have a place to go, most of the wizards and witches were too attached to their homes here in the United Kingdom to leave. A mass evacuation won't solve their problems.

"I have spoken to the Canadians, and they are willing to accept a small group of my friends."

Luna saw the problem at once. "But not you personally."

"No, Andromeda and I are political hot potatoes. They can't afford to grant either one of us asylum. If they did, it would almost certainly cause a diplomatic incident."

"I will go Harry—for the sake of Hedwig and Teddy," Luna said. "But please leave Ginny out of this."

"I'm sorry Luna, but once you reach Canada you'll need people you can trust. That means Ginny. Come on Hermione, let's get this over with."

* * *

"The Canadians said a few friends on a single muggle aeroplane," Andromeda remarked dryly.

They were both standing on the runway of the Newcastle International Airport, which was the closest major airport outside of Hadrian's Ward. Harry had just said his farewells to Luna, Hedwig, and Teddy. Now the old-fashioned mobile stairway was slowly moving off the runway as the four massive engines started up.

"It is a single aeroplane—it just happens to be a 747 jumbo jet," he told her while searching the horizon for a possible attack.

Harry was also offering up a silent prayer of thanks to Albus Dumbledore for leaving him all that gold he had created with the Philosopher's Stone. Selling that stockpile had provided them with a large amount of muggle currency—more than enough to charter a jumbo jet for a single trip to Toronto. He was also praying that no one was stupid enough to use any magic once they were in the air. Just to be on the safe side Hermione and Lisa had confiscated everyone's wand before they were allowed on board, but accidents happened.

"Don't you think they are going to be upset when over five hundred witches and wizards arrive in the middle of the night asking for political asylum?"

"It is easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission. I think I read that somewhere. Besides, they are almost all muggleborns. The Canadians won't send them back to here to be slaughtered."

"You hope they won't send them back," Andromeda said ominously. "It's going to be a nightmare when news of this flight breaks in Hogsmeade, and it will despite your control over the Wireless. Our pureblood and half-blood supporters will be furious with us."

"I really don't care about their opinions anymore. Everyone I love—present company excluded—is on that plane. Besides, my mother and I have saved these people from destruction twice already. If it finally happens this time... then so be it."

"If you really mean that, then why are you going to Madrid with Cardinal Wiwa?"

"Because the purebloods are the ones who started this war up again, even after I killed their precious Dark Lord. I just want it all to end so I can raise my family in peace," Harry told her as the jet taxied down the runway. "I can't believe no one has tried to attack us. We are so exposed out here."

"It's too public and too muggle. You sometimes forget how frightened most purebloods are of entering the regular world," Andromeda explained. After the jet finally took off, she turned to face him. "This is where we part ways. You have to join Cardinal Wiwa in Sardinia, while I return to Hogsmeade to oversee our defenses."

Harry pulled her in for a deep kiss. "I still don't know if you love me or not Andromeda Tonks, but never doubt for a second that I do love you. And that I always will."

A part of her wanted to reassure the boy that she did in fact love him, but another part of her didn't want to lie. So the Minister of Magic decided a distraction was in order.

"You know I have always had this fantasy about muggle aeroplanes." That got her the brilliant smile she wanted to see. "And there is one sitting all by itself over in that hanger."

* * *

"The Unspeakables are ready," Bill told the war council. "Tomorrow we will bring down Hadrian's Ward."

"But what about the wards around Hogsmeade itself?" asked their pet Minister of Magic, Pius Thicknesse. Despite his title he was nothing more than a powerless figurehead for the Exiles.

"If—and I stress the word **if**—the information Malfoy supplied us with is accurate, we can bring those wards down in less than an hour," Bill told Thicknesse.

"Trust me Delacour, the ward schematic is real," Draco said in a reasonable tone. His campaign to win back control of the Exiles was going well, and he could afford to be magnanimous now.

Plus he didn't want anyone to be suspicious when William Delacour disappeared tomorrow. Draco was paying those mercenaries a small fortune to kidnap the Curse Breaker during the upcoming battle. The oath he had taken in the Black Forest prevented him from killing Delacour outright, but that didn't mean he couldn't forcefully return him to his Chateau in France. Once he was there that traitorous Veela had a surprise waiting for him. Fleur hadn't given him any details on what she was planning, so again Draco wasn't technically violating his oath.

"Once the defensive wards around Hogsmeade fall, we will then cast Anti-Apparition and Anti-Portkey wards. The Floo system will also be temporally disabled, so our enemies will be trapped inside Hogsmeade," Bill explained. "Given our superior numbers, the war will be over in less than a day."

"I feel I must point out to everyone that a great many purebloods are currently living in Hogsmeade. What are the estimates on the number of casualties?" Thicknesse asked.

"I'm sorry Minister, but if they have sided with Potter and the rest of Pretenders then they are on their own," Draco said. "There is nothing we can do to protect them despite their blood status."

This statement made many of the people in the room nervous. When the Exiles had returned home they expected a majority of the magical population to support them and their agenda. But thanks to a malicious propaganda campaign on the Wireless only a small minority had rallied to their banner. Most wanted nothing to do with the pureblood extremists, and instead had fled north to support Tonks and Potter. Many of the Exiles were now wondering if anyone would be left in the United Kingdom for them to rule once this war was over.

* * *

"I see our resident celebrity has finally arrived. I take it you were saying goodbye to Minister Tonks," Father Snape sneered as Harry struggle to regain his footing after his long-distance Portkey trip. You would think that sneering would no longer be proper for a man of God, but apparently that wasn't the case for Snape.

Harry ignored his old professor and instead glanced around the Church's large estate on Sardinia. It was from here that the Order of Saint Lazarus would be launching its attack tomorrow. He was relieved so see the large number of wizards who would be joining them—there were over five hundred present. At the same time Harry found it a bit unnerving to be around this many Catholic priests, especially since he just said _goodbye_ to Andromeda. Three times.

The mission briefing by the Order of Saint Lazarus was very extensive, and Harry couldn't help but compare it to his days back in the Order of the Phoenix. It was very clear he was dealing with professionals who had little in common with Dumbledore's bumbling group of amateurs. Best of all there was no Molly Weasley screeching like a banshee about his age.

Harry also noticed that Cardinal Wiwa wasn't speaking that much. Maybe it was Dumbledore's ego and his need to dominate others that made the Order of the Phoenix such a failure. It was something to think about if he was still alive next week. Technically he was an Auror Commander, so he should probably learn how to act like one.

Cardinal Wiwa's men had been conducting raids all along Spain's eastern coast for some time now. While the main purpose of these raids had been to destroy pureblood property, they had also weakened the magical defenses that surrounded the country. It was now possible to punch through the Spanish wards with specially designed Portkeys, although the trip to Madrid was going to be a hellish ride according to the experts.

Once they arrived at the capital their objective was to destroy the Sendero Luminoso, which would effectively cut Spain off from South America. However to reach that objective they had to engage the Imperial Guard which would be defending the Sendero Luminoso. This was going to be a bit of a problem.

The Spanish had taken a page from the Ottoman Turks and their Janissaries, and as a result their Imperial Guard was made up of slaves. Muggleborn wizards in Spain and in South America were identified at an early age, and then kidnapped. These young children were subjected to multiple Memory Charms and systematic abuse. Those with too much intelligence and independence were often killed. Finally after years of training they became fanatically loyal soldiers who acted as instruments of oppression for their Spanish masters. Facing them wasn't going to be easy.

"Given my great power I will be doing a great deal of independent fighting tomorrow," Cardinal Wiwa explained. On second thought maybe his ego was just as big as Dumbledore's. "Harry Potter will stay by my side at all times, and he will be acting as my shield. We are the only ones who allowed to break ranks."

His men didn't argue, and it was clear to Harry that they both loved and respected the old wizard. But was that going to be enough to win the battle?

"We have been given a difficult mission. Let us bow our heads and pray for the strength we will all need in the coming hours."

* * *

Sleeping without Luna and Harry was impossible, so Andromeda was in bed staring up at the ceiling when she felt it. A feeble wave of magic converged on Hogsmeade from all sides. It could only mean one thing: Hadrian's Ward had once again fallen. She wasted no time donning Bellatrix's old suit of dragon skin armor. Andromeda then Apparited directly to the Ministry of Magic. There was nothing but bad news waiting for her.

"We are screwed." This was Chief Auror Savage's professional assessment of their situation. "The second Hadrian's Ward came down we were surrounded by a force of at least five thousand wizards and witches. Now they are hitting the wards around Hogsmeade at their weakest points. Every single one of them. It should have taken their Curse Breakers days to find those weak points, but instead it only took a few minutes."

"Someone sold us out, and gave the Exiles detailed information about all of our defenses," Dawlish reasoned.

"I agree," Savage said. "Look Minster Tonks, we were counting on two things. One was that the Hogsmeade wards would hold for at least a week, and two that the Spanish Aurors would be gone before the battle began. We were wrong on both counts. Our only option now is to fallback to Hogwarts. The castle's wards are a thousand years old, and they should buy us some more time."

"Send out the signal for a general retreat," Andromeda told them.

Even six months ago an attempted evacuation of Hogsmeade would have resulted in total chaos. Luckily for the Ministry of Magic, Harry's bet on the Wireless had paid off. With the WWTV acting as an emergency broadcasting system, every witch and wizard understood the need to proceed to Hogwarts in a calm and orderly manner. They knew what was going to happen next. Torture, rape, and murder were all they could expect from these invading monsters.

Savage set-up a temporary command post at the top of the Astronomy Tower. From there they had a perfect view as the wards surrounding the Highland valley began to falter and then die. It was quite beautiful—in a horrible sort of way.

"What about the rest of our plans?" Andromeda asked. "Will they be of any use now?"

"If the Exiles were smart they would simply bypass Hogsmeade altogether and head straight for us," Savage reasoned. "But I doubt if they can control those mercenaries, so first they will loot the village. Rather than attack us piecemeal, they will wait for the fun to end before turning on us with everything they've got. That will give us some more time, but I doubt if it will be enough."


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

Neville Longbottom looked down at his map, and searched for the red dots that indicated the presence of enemy Aurors in this part of Hogsmeade. It still made him angry to think how much safer his seventh year at Hogwarts would have been if the DA had a few copies of the Marauder's Map, but Hermione and George had only learned how to reproduce it a few weeks ago.

The new map he was holding was far less advanced than the original. It only covered Hogsmeade, and showed nameless green dots for their allies and red ones for their enemies. It was crude, but it had already saved several lives this morning—including his own.

The situation was a nightmare. The Exiles had blocked all forms of magical transportation, so they had no choice but to march into Hogsmeade on foot. (A few fools had tried attacking on brooms, but they were quickly shot out of the sky.) In theory this gave the DA an advantage. They could set up ambushes, and wait for the other side to walk into them. In reality it wasn't so easy. The Exiles had superior numbers and a nasty tendency to roll over anyone in their way. The DA was already being pushed back towards Hogwarts, but no one wanted to retreat to the castle so soon.

It was rather embarrassing that they were the only British wizards out here fighting. Other than Ron, all the other Ministry Aurors were defending Hogwarts. Neville knew he could never live with himself if he hadn't brought the DA to Hogsmeade through one of the secret passageways. How could they expect others to defend their country if they weren't willing to defend it themselves?

"Alright, there is a group of around thirty headed straight for us," he whispered. "Stay down until I give the signal."

"I have never seen anything like that map before. Are you sure it really works?" asked one of the Japanese Aurors they ran into about ten minutes ago. In the chaos of the battle several of the Japanese were separated from their units. They all knew from experience that fighting alone was a surefire way to get yourself killed, so they were working with the DA for the duration.

"Trust me, the witch who made this map is a genius. It works perfectly," Ron told them.

Despite the fact that Hermione was not interested in wizards, Ron was still in love with her. It was pathetic, and his friends loved mocking him for it. But now wasn't the time for that sort of thing. Instead they all cast Disillusionment Charms, and began taking cover behind corners and on nearby rooftops.

"If you don't believe us then you can go out there and asked them which side they are on," Neville suggested. The Japanese Aurors declined and began hiding.

The ambush worked, if only because the Exiles and their mercenaries were so disorganized. (And drunk too—more than a few of them were drinking from bottles of Firewhiskey liberated from the Three Broomsticks.) They only lost two Aurors in exchange for over thirty mercenaries, and that was as good as they could hope for.

"Come on, let's move out." Neville told them. The DA had learned from bitter experience that staying in one place was a recipe for disaster, since the noise from the fight would soon attract unwanted attention. Once again he began studying his map, looking for their next opportunity.

* * *

Since he was eleven years old everyone kept telling Harry Potter that he was a great wizard, but deep down he didn't believe them anymore. His lack of self-esteem had nothing to do with his upbringing at the hands of the Dursleys. Instead it stemmed from the epic duel he witnessed between Albus Dumbledore and the Dark Lord Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic.

Animated statues, giant fire serpents, prisons made of water bubbles, and to top it all off a human possession. The two wizards even looked the part: Dumbledore with his gaudy robes and Voldemort with his glowing red eyes. The whole experience had been so... theatrical. In his heart Harry knew he would never measure up to their example. But now as he watched Cardinal Wiwa slaughter the Spanish Imperial Guard he was thankful that his basic dueling style was nothing like those two old drama queens of magic.

For example, Wiwa never once spoke an incantation. "What does pig Latin have to do with magic?" he asked Harry.

Nor did he perform any elaborate wand motions. "Holy Mary, Mother of God. What do they teach you imbeciles up at Hogwarts?" Instead he just pointed his short wand in the general direction of his opponents and they dropped dead.

"Are you using the Killing Curse?" Harry had asked several dozen dead wizards ago.

Wiwa looked offended, and despite being in the middle of a battle he calmly explained: "The Killing Curse is too draining, and it is used as an instrument of intimidation by mindless thugs. No, I am merely causing small explosions in their brains or their hearts. I prefer using spells that are low-cost but high-yield. After all, you don't get any extra points for style."

So far things was going according to plan. The Portkeys from Sardinia had been painful, but they had gotten them into the vast Imperial Palace on the outskirts of Madrid despite the heavy wards. The wizard-priests of the Order of Saint Lazarus were moving through the endless stone corridors with military precision, killing everyone in their path and destroying hundreds of what Harry could only imagine were priceless works of art.

The Spanish Imperial Guards were tough and well-trained, but they had no one who could match Wiwa or even Harry himself in terms of magical power. Nor were they especially creative in their tactics, but to be fair neither was the Order. Whenever the priests meet a particularly strong pocket of resistance, the Cardinal and Harry would step forward and crush it. To be honest, Wiwa was doing all the actual crushing, while Harry provided him with an unbreakable Shield Charm courtesy of the Elder Wand.

"It appears we caught them with the their pants down," Wiwa remarked as he causally ripped a vault-like metal door off its hinges with a Levitation Charm. He then turned his second-in-command. "This staircase leads down to the sub-basement where the Sendero Luminoso is located. Set up defensive positions in the surrounding corridors. The boy and I will deal with this alone."

When Harry discovered that the mysterious portal was deep underground, he couldn't help but think of the Veil of Death which had also been located on the lowest level of the Ministry of Magic. Wiwa's experts explained that magic this old and powerful needed to be tied directly to the Earth itself. And now they had to destroy it. Exactly how they were supposed to do that had been left rather vague, much to his annoyance.

The Sendero Luminoso was exactly what the name suggested: a shining path. After they finished off the remaining Imperial Guards and technicians, Harry began examining their prize. He was shocked to discover that it existed in only two dimensions. From the front it seemed that the path inside the shinning portal extended out into infinity. But from the side it had no depth, and when observed from a right angle it disappeared altogether.

"What the bloody hell is this thing?" Harry asked.

"No one is quite sure anymore. Like the muggles who engineered the Egyptian pyramids, the wizards who created the Sendero Luminoso were executed by the Spanish Emperor to preserve the secrets of its design," Wiwa told him.

"OK, so what do we do now?"

"You must enter the portal and collapse it from within," Wiwa explained. "When I heard that you had recast Hadrian's Ward, I knew for certain that only the Elder Wand had the power needed to destroy his abomination once and for all."

"If I'm inside of the Sendero Luminoso when it collapses then how am I supposed to get out?"

"I am afraid that you will be trapped inside, and killed by the intense magical backlash. But it is a sacrifice I know you are prepared to make."

Harry looked at Cardinal Wiwa, and finally saw the fanatical light hidden deep in his dark eyes. The old wizard was absolutely convinced that Harry would sacrifice himself, and to be honest a year ago he would have done it. A year ago he **had** done it. Harry had willingly walked into the Forbidden Forest to face Voldemort and his death like a good little drone.

But that was before he had met Andromeda Tonks. He could just imagine how she would react to this situation. Harry couldn't help it—he started laughing. For him this mission was over. The Spanish Aurors would begin retreating from their positions around Hogsmeade the moment they heard about the attack on Madrid, and that was all he cared about.

"Sir, I hate to tell you this, but there is no fucking way I'm dying inside of that thing."

"What did you just say boy?" Wiwa raged.

"I said there is no fucking way I'm doing it. I have a wife and daughter waiting for me across the Atlantic Ocean. If you want to destroy the Spanish Empire, then you can do it yourself."

Apparently the Cardinal didn't see it that way. "_Imperio_!"

Again Harry laughed. "It appears that a certain wizard does need his incantations after all. Sorry, but I learned how to fight that curse off at fourteen. Maybe a Hogwarts education isn't so useless after all. In fact thanks to my Professors I'm something of an expert with all three of the Unforgivable Curses. _Crucio_!"

Given his lofty status Harry guessed that no one had subjected the Cardinal to the Torture Curse in decades—if ever. Even with the Elder Wand he couldn't hope to defeat the older wizard in a duel, so Harry quickly made a dash for the staircase as Wiwa lay on the floor screaming. He would only be able to use a Portkey from outside the wards of the Imperial Palace. But just before he reached the staircase it was blocked off with a stone wall. There were times when he really hated magic.

"You are not going anywhere boy," Wiwa snarled. "When I am done with you, you will be begging me for a chance to die."

* * *

Bill looked down at Hogsmeade in disgust from his observation post on one of the nearby mountains. It was predictable that once their mercenaries entered the village the Exiles would lose control of the battle. From the dozens of fires that had started he could tell that the fighting was fierce, and they were losing wizards that would be needed later on if they wanted to take Hogwarts. They had to capture and execute Andromeda Tonks and Harry Potter today, or this war would drag on for Merlin knows how long. He had explained all of this to Malfoy last night, but once again the wanker had ignored his advice.

"Delacour. Lord Malfoy wants to have a word with you."

Bill didn't bother looking back—he recognized the voice as belonging to one of the mercenary leaders. As a rule mercenaries aren't the most trustworthy of people, but this particular wizard stood out from his peers. He was clearly the worst of a rotten bunch.

"I'm busy. Tell little Lord Malfoy I will talk to him in an hour or two."

"I really must insist that you come with us."

Bill turned around. The wizard had twenty of his flunkies with him, and they all had their wands out. "Fine. Lead the way."

During the short walk he kept glancing over at Hogsmeade. In an hour or two the village would be reduced to nothing more than a pile of burning rubble. Would Hogwarts get the same treatment? Probably. Did Lord Malfoy care? Not in the least. Instead of overseeing the battle, he was eating an early lunch in one of the silk pavilions he had bought during their long stay in France.

"It took you long enough," Draco remarked, doing his best intimation of his late father Lucius. "We need to have a chat."

"What do you want? In case you've forgotten, we're in the middle of a battle, so make it quick."

"There is no need to be rude, Delacour. I just received an urgent message from your lovely wife. It seems there is... an emergency which requires your immediate attention, and these good wizards have... volunteered to escort you back home." It was clear Draco was being cautious with his words, since he didn't want to violate his oath. For a Slytherin, it was a pitiful display of cunning.

"Why didn't Fleur send this important message directly to me?"

"Ask her yourself... when you see her," Draco replied, still verbally tap-dancing like a fool.

"Whatever this family crisis is, it can wait until the battle is over. At least one of us should be doing our jobs."

Now the little tosspot was getting nervous. "I'm sorry, but I really must insist that you take this Portkey. Your wife needs you."

"Please Malfoy, it's offensive for you or I to pretend that we still care about our loved ones after the things we've done," Bill said.

The mercenary leader finally lost his patience with their argument. "Delacour, we have been paid to take you back to France, so back to France you will go."

"And who exactly is paying you for this service?" Bill asked.

"Don't answer that question!" Draco yelled.

The mercenary just rolled his eyes. "Blondie here wants your wife all to himself. I can't blame him—she's a fine piece of ass."

With that a blinding white light enveloped Draco, and he fell to the ground screaming. But that was to be expected. According to the old legends having the magic ripped away from your soul was meant to be an excruciating process.

Bill smiled. Now that the betrayal was out in the open the magical oath they had taken back in the Black Forest had exacted its ultimate penalty. "You know Malfoy, this scheme of yours might have actually worked if you skipped this conversation. But it wasn't enough for you to humiliate me by sleeping with my wife. No, you had to see my face while you gloated over your victory."

"What's wrong with him?" the mercenary leader asked.

"He's a muggle now, so your contract with the House of Malfoy is null-and-void," Bill replied. Thank Merlin for the purebloods and their stupid laws about dealing with any muggles. "Fortunately I have another mission for you, and it pays just as well. Take those Portkeys back to France, and kidnap my wife."

"And what do we suppose do with her when we have her?"

Bill thought about it for a moment. "I believe that there are several fine establishments in Paris and Berlin which will pay handsomely for a Veela as young as Fleur. In your line of work I'm sure you have had dealings with places like that before. Just be careful—Fleur can be a handful when she gets angry."

"If I may say, it's always a pleasure to do business with such a generous wizard. If you have any work for us in the future, don't hesitate to send us an owl." The mercenaries then activated their Portkeys and disappeared, leaving Bill alone with Malfoy.

"What are you going to do with me now?"

"Nothing," Bill replied as he turned a fork into a Portkey that would send the wanker to the center of Glasgow. "I have no intention of violating my oath. Farewell Draco Malfoy. I hope you have a long and wretched life as a muggle."

* * *

_For future reference, do not fight duels with magical healers_, Harry thought as he curled up into a fetal position. It didn't help.

On second thought, Harry couldn't really call their fight a duel. Oh, for the first few seconds he had managed to stay on his feet, but after that it quickly went downhill. Now Cardinal Wiwa was just magically torturing him to the point of death, and then healing the injuries. This cycle had been repeated maybe three or four times—Harry wasn't really sure any more. The old wizard just kept screamed at him to do his duty, which of course meant dying.

"Just take the Elder Wand—it's yours now anyway. You can go and destroy the Sendero Luminoso yourself. Besides, don't you want to go to Heaven? I hear it is lovely this time of year."

Making flippant remarks about heaven to a Roman Catholic was a bad idea. Harry didn't think it was possible, but the pain racking his body somehow increased. He tried to think of Luna and their daughter Hedwig, but even that wasn't helping anymore.

"No, it must be you. This will never be over until you enter the Sendero Luminoso and destroy it. The Spanish Empire has been an unholy blight on the world for five hundred years. It must fall today."

That didn't make any sense to Harry, but the Cardinal wasn't interested in a rational conversation at this point. He was a fanatic, pure and simple. After another round of torture Harry was just about to give in when he saw a group of tiny figures marching in the distance. Were they a hallucination brought on by all the pain? No, they couldn't be because they were getting closer and closer.

"You know, I think they might have something to say about your great master plan."

"What are you babbling about boy?"

Harry couldn't lift his arms, so he just pointed to the Sendero Luminoso with his chin. "I am talking about them."

He had no idea who the wizards coming out of the magical portal were, but he hoped they would kill Wiwa. He really wanted to see that happen before the end. Then Harry recognized one of the wizards in the front ranks—Andromeda had described him at great length. With his mass of ritual tattoos and scars that could only be Cahuella, the leader of the South American Guerrillas.

"Isn't this interesting. I wonder what would the Pope say if he saw you torturing a teenager? Do you think he would be pleased?"

"Cahuella, what are you and your men doing here?" Wiwa asked, and for the first time Harry detected a hint of fear in his voice. He couldn't really blame the Cardinal. This Cahuella person looked even crazier than Voldemort.

"We captured and annihilated all six of the Spanish fortresses in South America, and now we come to the motherland for a bit of sightseeing." His men—some of whom looked even crazier than him—laughed and jeered. "We are also brought an American along with us, and he has some important news."

An anxious wizard stepped forward, and with his prim robes it was clear he didn't belong with the rest of the Guerrillas. "You are Harry Potter? I was told that he... that you were taking part in this mission."

"Yes, I'm Harry Potter. Who are you?"

"I am Ambassador Shaw of the United States Department of Magic. May I ask what is going on here?"

Harry gave Wiwa a hard look, and then turned to face Cahuella. The Guerrilla leader winked.

"The Cardinal was just about to undertake a dangerous mission to permanently collapse the Sendero Luminoso. Now what kind of information do you have for me?"

"Mister Potter, we have had a bit of problem..."

Cahuella rudely broke in. "That bitch Secretary Bates sold your country out to the pureblood scum. She gave them all the information she had on the wards surrounding your capital. What do you call it? Pig-ville? Pig-town?"

"Yes, I am afraid the forces under the control of the British Exiles launched their attack on Hogsmeade this morning," Ambassador Shaw added.

Harry closed his eyes, and all he could see was Andromeda's dead body. Then he remembered the political training she had given him over the past few months. "What do you need me for?"

"We would like your permission to deploy reinforcements. You are a fairly high-ranking Auror, are you not? That means you can grant us legal permission to enter the United Kingdom."

"Why are you willing to help us now?"

Again Cahuella answered for the American. "They don't give a damn about your country, but they are very concerned about how the Japanese and Indonesians are going to react when they found out that it was a United States official who got their Aurors killed."

That sounded about right. "You have my permission to enter the United Kingdom," Harry said while sitting on the ground. He still didn't have the strength to get up. "Is that good enough for your Department of Magic?"

"Yes, that will do. I will be on my way to our Embassy here in Madrid. From there I can send a message back to Washington."

"So Wiwa, are you ready to face Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates?" Cahuella asked after the American Ambassador left. Speaking to the Cardinal that way... Harry couldn't decide if the wizard was a magical powerhouse or just plain psychotic. True he had his army of Guerrillas with him, but the Order of Saint Lazarus was waiting upstairs.

Luckily Wiwa wasn't prepared to start fight against his supposed allies. "Yes, my soul is prepared."

"What did I do to deserve this?" Harry asked, but Wiwa ignored his question.

The Guerrilla leader cackled. "Potter, in time you will come to understand that wizards like him have no problem sending wizards like** us** to their deaths, but they have no interest in risking their own necks. They view themselves as too indispensable, so they order others to do their dying for them. Isn't that right?"

Again they received no answer, but Harry wasn't done with Cardinal Wiwa just yet. "I have one last request before you go."

* * *

"Are you absolutely certain that is your brother's Patronus and his voice?" Andromeda asked as she studied the silver hippopotamus standing at the gates of Hogwarts.

"He isn't our brother anymore," Ron snarled. The boy had injuries covering half of his body, but somehow Longbottom had gotten him and the rest of the DA members back to the castle.

"This isn't the time for your cheek," Percy told him. "And yes Minister Tonks, that is William's Patronus and his voice. Are you going to meet with him?"

"Get below with the others. That is an order."

As the two Weasley brothers disappeared into Hogwarts, Andromeda began walking towards the army of foreign Aurors that surrounded the castle. Strangely enough she wasn't frightened at all. For the past several months she had been trying to convince herself that she could build a new life with Harry and Luna, but that was just wishful thinking on her part. Andromeda Tonks had died with her husband Ted and daughter Nymphadora last spring.

William Delacour soon stepped forward, and met her halfway between Hogwarts and the army of Exiles. "I have come to demand your surrender. Your unconditional surrender."

"Where is my nephew?"

"Draco Malfoy is now a muggle, and therefore he has no role to play in these negotiations."

"And how to you manage that?"

"I didn't have anything to do with it. Malfoy did it to himself."

Yes, that sounded just like her stupid nephew. "Unconditional surrender? I suppose that means you will execute me and all the members of the Ministry of Magic. What will you do the civilians who have been living here in Hogsmeade under our rule?"

"As long as they swear allegiance to the True Ministry of Magic nothing will happen to them," Bill replied.

"What about the muggleborns?"

"We will return to the prewar status quo. Officially they will have equal rights. Unofficially they will be second-class citizens at best."

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "I wish I could believe your friends were that enlightened."

"It no longer matters what you believe. It never did," Bill said. "Your military position is hopeless. Voldemort took Hogwarts with only a few hundred wizards and witches. We have over two thousand Aurors, which means the castle will fall. Your only choice is whether or not it ends up like Hogsmeade. After a thousand years of history do you want to see our school reduced to a burning pile of rubble?"

"Actually, that is exactly what I want to see happen."

It took the shocked wizard a few seconds to process that statement. "Minister Tonks, you can't be serious."

"Take a look at the wards behind me with your magic, not your eyes," Andromeda suggested. "You're a Curse Breaker. I'm sure you can figure out what's going to happen next."

Bill had been trained well by the Goblins of Gringotts, and he quickly recognized the signs. "You're bluffing."

"No, I'm not. And don't bother running. There is no way for you or your two thousand Aurors to reach a safe distance in time. Not with all the wards you put in place this morning."

"But you will be killing everyone inside Hogwarts."

"It is a fair price to pay. After today the purebloods of Europe will have as much political power as the house elves. Probably less after Harry takes his revenge. I'm afraid the poor boy will blame you and your pureblood friends for this disaster, and so will everyone else. History will condemn you all for the next thousand years. That shall be my revenge."

"You are insane," Bill whispered.

"Perhaps," Andromeda admitted. "Perhaps in the end there is no escaping your blood. Especially when you are a Black."

* * *

"This is ridiculous," Snape muttered as he looked down at his new transfigured robes.

"I think the color red suits you," Harry said as a Healer went over his many burns and broken bones. "So does the title: Cardinal Severus Snape. I think it has a lovely ring to it."

"No, it sounds obscene."

Despite being more than half dead, Harry had blackmailed Cardinal Wiwa into appointing Snape as his successor over the objections of many of his loyal priests. "It isn't my fault that the Catholic Church is run like a dictatorship. If you have a problem with your new job as the head of the Order of Saint Lazarus, then take it up with the Pope."

"Potter, I'm going to kill you. Slowly."

"Fine, but it will have to wait until after Draco Malfoy and the other Exiles are dead. That is why you and I are fighting this stupid war."

As the Healers saw to his injuries and carefully placed him on a magic carpet, Portkeys to Scotland were made in mass quantities. Less than an hour later the unhappy Order of Saint Lazarus and the Guerrillas traveled north. They found the village of Hogsmeade in flames, and Hogwarts itself besieged by a magical army far larger than their own. Luckily the American reinforcements had already arrived.

"We have orders from our new Secretary of Magic to render any and all assistance," the American Auror Commander explained after the two groups linked up.

"What happened to Bates?" Harry asked.

"Bates pissed off a lot of important wizards and witches. She was stripped of her title, arrested, and will be executed by the end of the week. You have my word of honor on that."

Even with the American reinforcements they were still heavily outnumbered by the Exiles, but Snape reasoned that a surprise attack from the rear would push the Exiles up against Hogwarts' wards where they could be slaughtered. Cahuella thought this strategy was a wonderful idea.

"A kill isn't any fun unless you can see the fear in their eyes," the Guerrilla leader said as he began to sharpen his rune-covered machete.

Unfortunately while they were busy making their plans the ancient wards around Hogwarts began to fluctuate wildly. After a few seconds they became incandescent as the sun. Then a massive explosion destroyed the castle, the army of Exiles, and what was left of Hogsmeade. All Harry could do as he sat there on his magic carpet was watch in horror.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note**: I posted this story a few years ago under my old pen name, but later deleted it. Now I'm posting it again.

* * *

**Nineteen Years—and Nineteen Children—Later**.

It was the social event of the year in the magical world. Over a thousand guests of all shapes and sizes had gathered beneath a crystal dome over a thousand meters-wide set on a lush tropical island. At the center of this pageantry were three individuals. Two of them were teenagers: one a Veela with long black hair, and the other an extremely handsome wizard with green eyes. They were both standing before a much older and uglier wizard dressed in a magnificent, jewel-incrusted, red robe.

"My dear friends, we are gathered here in the sight of my God to join together Victoire Snape and... Ted Potter in holy matrimony."

In all his travels around the world Harry had yet to met anyone who could convey so much disdain with a simple pause as Severus Snape could. He was making Teddy so nervous that the boy's hair unintentionally changed color from black to green, something that hadn't happened since his eighth birthday party. Hedwig, acting as her brother's best _person_, reached over and gently ruffled his hair until it changed back to its proper color.

Ginny turned to Luna. "I can't believe you allowed **him** of all people to conduct the wedding ceremony." She had a point. Snape was the kind of Roman Catholic Cardinal that only a Borgia would approve of.

"Don't be so dense. No one tells Victoire or her father what to do. Not even the Pope himself. Now be quiet," Luna whispered. Being a mother to eight children had changed his wife's personality. Nowadays she had no problem disciplining their fiery concubine when the situation called for it.

Luna wasn't the only one annoyed with Ginny. Fleur was glaring at her from across the aisle. After all this time the two of them still hated each other with a passion, but Harry didn't mind since their arguments often made Ginny horny. As for Fleur... well, it still amazed him that anyone could look that seductive while dressed as a nun, but somehow the older Veela pulled it off. Of course she was also glaring at him, but an Unbreakable Vow prevented her from doing anything worse.

Harry's and Snape's eyes briefly met. In that short moment they shared an entire silent conversation: they commiserated over the witches in their lives, and how irritating they could be even during a solemn occasion like this. Then Harry smiled and Snape smirked as he continued to recite his part of the wedding ceremony.

If someone had told a younger Harry Potter that his former Potions Professor would end up as one of his closest friends he would have locked the nutter up in a mental institution. But now he couldn't deny that is was true. Of course most of his other friends had died nineteen years ago.

After the destruction of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade Harry went ten straight days without sleeping as he searched the ruins of the castle. He was so hopped up on Invigoration Draughts that the toxic buildup in his blood turned his skin blue and caused his hair to fall out. But no matter how many tons of stone rubble he levitated, he never found any survivors. Only corpses. That bastard William Delacour had killed them all rather than face justice.

A few days after the disaster Snape was forced to leave. The Catholic Church had made countless magical enemies over the past two thousand years, and with Cardinal Wiwa dead those enemies sensed a rare opportunity for revenge. Luckily Snape proved himself worthy of the title Harry obtained for him. The new leader of the Order of Saint Lazarus set out on a series of lightning raids, and eliminated his opponents in a ruthless fashion.

The Pope was impressed not only with Snape's results, but also with his discretion. Staying in the background was a key requirement of the job. Looking back maybe it shouldn't have been so surprising that Snape succeeded in winning over the Vatican. After all, he had fooled Voldemort for years.

During these early raids the new Cardinal accidentally rescued Fleur Delacour. The mercenary group which held her had been hired to loot one of the Church's museums of its magical artifacts, and Snape had been waiting for them. He ordered interrogations for the few survivors, hoping to discover who had hired them. Instead the information lead him back to the mercenary's hideout, and to Fleur.

She had spent only three months with them as a prisoner, but it might as well have been three years given the horrors what she had been subjected to. By this time her mother and sister Gabrielle had both been killed by the rampaging Guerrillas, so she had no choice but to return to the Vatican under Cardinal Snape's personal protection.

Over the next few years she had given him three children despite becoming a nun herself. Apparently this sort of arrangement between priests and nuns was not unknown to the Church, and as long as they didn't flout their relationship in the muggle world they were left alone. Looking at the situation rationally, the Pope recognized that a wizard as powerful and talented as Snape was a rare commodity—even if his personal morality was somewhat lacking.

A lack of personal morality was also one of Harry's weakness, so he really couldn't afford to throw any stones. After the destruction of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade he had retreated to Canada and to Luna. It took the combined labor of his wife, Hermione, Heliopath, and his two children to prevent him from doing something truly stupid. But even with all their efforts, it wasn't enough. Like an idiot he started sleeping with Ginny Weasley.

The young witch was a total wreck. All eight members of her family were now dead, and for some unknown reason Ginny decided that it was Harry's fault. This lead to a series of nasty duels, but the Elder Wand still acknowledged him as its Master, so they were all one-sided affairs. After the duels came the screaming, then the crying, and finally the sex.

Harry might not have liked Ginny, but there was no doubt that he was still attracted to her. After their first time he had gone to Luna and begged for forgiveness. But as she had done before with Andromeda, his wife gave her blessing to the unorthodox arrangement. Harry only figured out why later on when his twin sons Gideon and Fabian Weasley were born. Ginny needed a family, and they were all she had left.

* * *

However the person who really deserves credit for Harry's friendship with Snape was the mad Guerrilla leader Cahuella. After he and his army returned to Spain, the wizard turned into a modern-day Spartacus. Like the leader of the ancient slave revolt, he quickly gathered the many enemies of the purebloods into a powerful fighting force.

Half-bloods, muggleborns, and squibs all flocked to his banner seeking revenge. They had plenty of detailed intelligence about the European purebloods who had discriminated against them for centuries. With his new army and all this new intelligence Cahuella annihilated the remaining Spanish Aurors, and the laid waste to the magical districts of their country. Many wizards and witches around the world condemned the mass bloodshed. However others adopted the rallying call of "Hogwarts", and claimed the purebloods of Europe were getting **exactly** what they deserved.

With his revenge on the Spanish Empire completed, Cahuella took his ragtag army across the Pyrenees Mountains into France. Like their Spanish counterparts, the arrogance of the French purebloods inspired many wizards and witches to seek revenge. Again the Guerrillas devastated an old and powerful foe, including what was left of the Delacour family. This pattern repeated itself when he attacked the Low Countries and then Germany.

It was only when this magical revolution threatened Switzerland and the ICW that the larger magical world finally responded. Even with the trial and execution of Secretary Bates, the United States was still feeling the wrath of its allies. In an attempt to improve its political reputation, the Americans offered Harry the services of a number of its Aurors. They were to be the core of an international force which would stop Cahuella and his mad revolution before it spread any further.

Several other countries including Canada offered additional Aurors, and Harry felt he couldn't turn his back on the country that had sheltered his family. Once he was in command, his international Aurors joined forces with the Order of Saint Lazarus. The Pope sent had Snape to intercept the Guerrilla leader before he could reach Italian soil. The two wizards finally caught up with Cahuella as his army was looting and burning the ancient home of the ICW.

"I see the Powers-That-Be have you out doing their dirty work for them," Cahuella sneered. "I thought you had more sense than that, Potter."

"We aren't interested in fighting you or your Guerrillas. We just want you all to return to your homes in South America," Harry explained.

"And why should I do that?" Cahuella asked. "I have the advantage in numbers."

"Most of your people are civilians. All of my people are trained Aurors. You will lose—badly. I don't want to see any more wizards and witches die in this stupid war. Do you?"

"Are you just going to let us leave after the things we've done? I find that hard to believe."

"Who is being the fool now?" Snape asked. "The rest of the world wanted to see the purebloods of Europe brought to their knees. After Grindelwald, Voldemort, and the attack on the ICW they were sick-and-tired of the endless problems Europe had caused. It is **you** who have been doing the world's dirty work. Since you destroyed the purebloods' political and economic influence, the other countries of the world are willing to overlook your crimes. But only if you stop this war now, and return to South America."

Cahuella looked as if someone had kicked him in the testicles, and Harry could relate to the feeling. He knew from personal experience how painful it was to discover that you were nothing but a minor pawn in someone's chess game.

"I want a written guarantee that there will be no show trials or retribution of any kind," Cahuella told them.

Snape gave him a sinister smile. "And who is going to sign that guarantee now that you have destroyed the ICW?"

"I will sign it," Harry said. He didn't have the legal authority to do anything remotely like this, but he was beyond caring. "If any country tries to break the peace and goes after you, then they will have to deal with me first."

"Typical Gryffindor," Snape muttered.

* * *

In the end Cahuella took Harry's generous offer, and his Guerrillas left Europe. But then the wizard had to go and emulate another ancient general. This time it was Alexander the Great, who also died under mysterious circumstance at a young age. Cahuella's lieutenants began fighting amongst themselves before his body was even cold, and South America again became a hotbed of magical warfare.

It was during these chaotic years that an international group of intellectuals began calling for the formation of an organization to replace the now defunct ICW. This new (and hopefully less corrupt) organization would be called the United Magi, and it would be located far outside of Europe. It wold also have a group of permanent Aurors on standby to deal with magical wars like the one in South America. The idea quickly gained support from idealistic countries like Iceland and Canada. The United States was still trying to improve its tarnished reputation, so it also signed on and promised a large amount of monetary support.

However it was the location of the new United Magi that ensured its successful birth. The magical French government had an island in the Indian Ocean about a hundred kilometers north of Madagascar. Since the magical French government no longer existed—and since the island was already hidden from the muggles—it was decided to base the UM there. This choice brought the support of Africa and India, as well as Indonesia and Australia. Having this new and powerful organization based in the Indian Ocean was appealing for the countries located on its periphery.

Now that the UM was up and running, the issue of who should command its Aurors came up. Once again Harry Potter was drafted. With Cardinal Wiwa dead, few doubted that he was one of the most powerful wizards in the world. The fact that the magical districts of the United Kingdom were in ruins also meant he no independent power base to call upon, and the major powers reasoned that someone his age would be easy to control. It turned out to be a foolish assumption on their part.

Harry had gone back to the United Kingdom several times to help with th reconstruction efforts, but the few remaining wizards and witches living there wanted nothing to do with him. They all believed he should have died with the others at Hogwarts. Canada was nice, but for some reason it didn't feel like home and the new island had much nicer climate. So once again he reluctantly accepted the offer of command.

The many battles in South America were small but time-consuming. It took three years for Harry and his UM Aurors to bring peace to the troubled continent. The battles raged from the humid jungles of Guyana to the icy mountaintops of the Andes to the storm-drenched coast of Southern Chile. During those three long years Harry had only sporadic visits with Luna and their children. Luckily Cardinal Snape and the Catholic Church supplied him with a steady stream of intelligence. The Brazilian Aurors also provided a great deal of military assistance, and after the peace accords were finally ratified their government became an enthusiastic supporter of the new UM.

The Chinese had always been wary of the ICW, but they agreed to join the UM after its Aurors broke up the magical Triads of Hong Kong. The Chinese Aurors had never been able to finish off these criminal gangs because they were always able to retreat to San Francisco and Vancouver, which were outside of Chinese jurisdiction. Only an international body like the United Magi could deal with the global problem that the Triads represented.

By the time Harry crushed a new Dark Lord in the Ukraine—again with help from Cardinal Snape—his position was secure. Secretary Generals came and went every few years, but the whole magical world agreed that Commander Potter was irreplaceable. It was bloody awful situation, but what choice did he have?

* * *

Harry's ever-expanding family also thrived on New Avalon, which was the rather unoriginal name that the UM had chosen for its new island home. Ginny didn't like being pregnant since she was terrified of becoming an overweight hag like her mother, so after the birth of the twins she enlisted in the Aurors to regain her figure. With her magical strength and athletic ability she quickly proved her worth. In fact over the years Harry had grown increasingly nervous that he had created his own red-headed Bellatrix Lestrange. Ginny would carry out any order he gave her, no matter how legally questionable. On the other hand the sex (with and without Luna) was fantastic.

His wife told him not to worry about it, but then Luna didn't seem to worry about anything. She just sort of glided through life. She effortlessly gave birth to eight children, while at the same time serving as the owner and publisher of the _New Avalon Gazette_. But that wasn't all. Using the data they complied on their yearly journeys around the world Luna wrote the landmark book _Magical Ecosystems_. It caused a sensation since it not only revolutionized the study of magical plants and creatures, but also how they interacted with muggle plants and animals.

Hermione and Lisa also achieved worldwide fame—and earned a lot of galleons in the process—when they perfected their magical computer. Or as Hermione always called it: the Magical Data Storage and Retrieval System. While wizards in North America and Asia preferred to take muggle electronics and shielded them from magical interference, the MDSRS ran entirely on magic itself. Given the ever-growing strength of the environmental movement, this magical technology began to strike a chord with many wizards and witches. They soon embraced the MDSRS as a way to show their ecological superiority to the muggles. Hermione wasn't happy about this chauvinism, but she kept the galleons anyway.

Nor did Hermione let Harry out of his promise to act as a sperm donor. Harry offered to them the old-fashion way, but again he was shot down—this time with Ginny's violent help. He countered by asking for Pensieve memories of them... well, you know. He needed some proper motivation after all. Hermione was outraged, but Lisa pointed out that it was a fair price for what they were asking of him. Harry treasured those erotic memories almost as much as his eight Granger-Turpin children. Each witch had two boys and two girls, and to this day he still didn't have a clue how Hermione managed to plan out their genders in advance.

With nineteen children Harry soon had to face the problem of how to educate them. None of them could bear the thought of sending the children away to a boarding school, and Hermione even argued that separating children from their parents was a major cause of emotional problems in wizards. That would certainly explain why Draco Malfoy turned out to be such a monster despite his kind-hearted mother.

Instead they decided to build the New Avalon Lyceum less than a kilometer away from their house. With the growing number of employees working at the UM attracting students wasn't a problem, and they all volunteered their time and galleons. Soon the Lyceum was welcoming students from around the world, including the three Snapes: Victoire, Gabrielle, and Augustus.

Cardinal Snape was a frequent visitor to New Avalon. As the Church's magical representative he had a great deal of business before the UM, and as a father he often visited his children at the Lyceum. If anyone thought this was scandalous behavior they were too frightened of the Cardinal say anything about it. In the end it was their notorious reputations which made Harry and Snape friends. Who else could understand the great burdens they were forced to carry on behalf of the magical world?

* * *

"...has joined together, let no wizard put asunder. And so, by the power vested in me by my Almighty God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss my daughter," Snape concluded.

"Ten galleons say Teddy doesn't use any tongue," Gideon whispered to his twin brother.

"That is a sucker's bet," Fabian replied.

_Very true_, Harry thought. Victoire and Teddy's lips barely touched. But who could blame them with her father standing right there with his wand at the ready?

The wedding reception took place under the massive crystal dome of the UM, and it was a zoo. Literally. There were Veela and Goblins and dwarfs and house-elves and yeti and centaurs and banshees and werewolves and ghosts and even a pair of well-behaved giants. Luna had made a lot of very interesting friends during her yearly journeys, and Harry had saved a lot of lives as the Commander of the UM Aurors.

There were also several hundred important wizards and witches in attendance. Of course they weren't here because of the marriage of two stupid teenagers. No, they had come to pay homage to the two powerful wizards who had fathered those two stupid teenagers. Harry thought the social hoopla was annoying, but Snape seemed quite pleased with all the attention. At least he was until he saw Teddy dancing with Victoire.

"Potter, this is all your fault."

"My fault? I gave him the TALK three bloody times," Harry complained. "The only reason Victoire is pregnant is because she wanted a Metamorphmagus for a husband."

"Are you suggesting my gentle daughter tricked that wretched werewolf spawn into marrying her?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm suggesting. And don't call **my** **son** a werewolf spawn in public." Harry and Snape were friends, but they were the kind of friends who regularly threaten to kill each other. "And Victoire is about as gentle as an iron cauldron dropped on your head."

Snape actually smiled at that comparison. Victoire was his pride and joy. The young witch had inherited all of her mother's beauty, all of her father's intelligence, and enough magical strength to put her in Harry's league. Ginny, Hermione, and Lisa were convinced that gentle Victoire was a future Dark Lady in the making.

"If my grandchild is a true Metamorphmagus I might be willing to let **your son **live," Snape allowed before taking another long drink of elvish wine. "You know, she would have been very proud of you today."

"Who, my mother?"

"No, dear Lily was an idealistic dreamer like her mentor Albus Dumbledore. She would have never approved of the questionable actions that were needed to create this brave new world of ours. Instead I was referring to your true mentor: Andromeda Tonks. To have turned a bumbling Gryffindor like you into a semi-competent leader... she was a Slytherin of the highest order."

"Do you really think I'm semi-competent?"

"Potter, shut up."


End file.
